New Life
by LeShyWolf
Summary: After a freak incident, I find myself involved in an unorthodox situation. One where I'm unwillingly dragged into the life of a TV show- one with vampires and unbelievable dangers. (CANCELLED FOR THE TIME BEING)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I needed some fresh material. I'm so sorry I haven't uploaded anything else on my other stories but my motivation for them is drained. Perhaps I shall continue them in future, but for now, I'm working on a few things.**

 **This story is to get my juices flowing again, but also written on a whim. Enjoy the silly concept XD**

 **Chapter 1: Arrival**

* * *

 _ **Day 1**_

I was normally lucky.

When my friends and I played poker, I always had the best hand. They all would marvel when I slapped the card on the table with a fat grin. Sometimes they thought I cheated but it was genuine luck and a well practiced bluffing face, unlike Emma, who cracked the moment you stared unwaveringly into her eyes. She couldn't handle eye contact.

But I was usually lucky. My aunt definitely tried to drill the religious thoughts into my skull about how I had a guardian angel or God was just looking after me- but I was a stubborn atheist. So was my mother, so I didn't know why she pressured me into going. I had a feeling it was to set me up with Morgan Finnell, the principal's son.

I didn't like him that much though. He was a little short but decent looking, a total workaholic when it came to school. He probably wouldn't even had much time for a relationship with the amount of effort he focused into homework. His grades were amazing and he was impressive, but slightly standoffish- and too cynical.

Mother dearest still wanted me to go to Church, not so much to follow the good Lord, but just to meet up with him. Apparently his parents were huge fundamentalists. But I wasn't a fan.

Plus churches smelled like old people.

Anyway. I was supposed to be lucky.

Yet, here I was, standing in the middle of nowhere- after waking up on the road. All I remembered was a car accident. The blue Toyota had swerved out of nowhere, plummeting straight into me.

Now, my car was missing. No vehicle or debris to evidence that I was in the same place. The street didn't even look the same. It was night when I crashed - but now it was day. Morning, by the looks of things.

I had woke up on the curb, laying straight on my back. The sun was blaring, beaming down through my eyelids as a nagging alarm clock. The air was crisp and chilly. Trees adorned either side of the road, forming a wall of nature to block my view of any other civilisation.

My fingers coiled around my dead phone.

"Okay." My gaze warily scanned the bright area, drifting to the clouds whilst I tried to slow my pounding heart. I briefly closed my eyes and inhaled a slow intake of breath before sharply releasing it. "Calm down, Fia."

I reached up behind my neck, scratching the base of my head as I looked around and started to walk with uncertainty, wondering where the hell I was.

The road seemed never ending. The only sound I had to accompany me was the active chirping of birds and the whispering of leaves swaying in the breeze.

My feet started to ache, when the distant sound of a car was getting closer. I twisted around to find a police car was heading my way - except it was different. It made me hesitate in throwing out the old hitchhiker thumb signal to the side so they would stop.

It was American.

Last I checked, I was in London. In Soho.

I felt nervous as it slowed down, muscles tensing underneath my clothes. I gnawed on the inside of my cheek. The tires shrieked briefly, car slowing until it was in front of me. The driver lowered the window and revealed a woman with short blonde hair and squinting, inquisitive blue eyes which gave me a quick, analysing glance over.

"Hey, are you alright?" Her eyebrows knit together in concern and the mysteriously familiar woman edged out, putting a hand above her forehead to shield the sun.

American.

She was American.

It wasn't that rare to hear someone with an American accent in the UK, I passed some tourists and sat next to them on the train, casually talked to them in the coffee shop, some of them worked in that one Apple store I went to the other day with my uncle and in other places around the central area and in Putney- so I suppose this wasn't all that misplaced. However, there was still a sinking feeling. There was something off. Something strange.

The organ in my chest thudded and skipped a beat.

"No-" I adjusted my feet, shifting anxiously. "I mean, yes." I glanced over to the street, still not recognising it. "Sorry, uh- where am I?"

I was not, in anyway, prepared for her next words.

The worry in her face grew slightly, but she tried to mask it with a reassuring smile. "Virginia, we're a few miles away from a town called Mystic Falls. Are you lost sweetie?"

My heart dropped to the soles of my feet.

"I… I'm sorry, what? I don't think I heard you." I chuckled, but felt like the thread to my sanity was about to snap. "Are we somewhere near Soho? Because that's where I last was."

"SoHo?" She repeated, looking dubious. She leaned forward, staring at me closer. Something nagged me in the back of her mind. Something about her. It was driving me insane. "SoHo in Manhattan?"

"Soho in London." I corrected. Something akin to ice raked down my back at the incredulous look in her eye. I swallowed a lump in my throat. "We're…. We're in London, right?"

She faltered, then opened the door. "Tell you what, how I take you to the station and we'll get this all sorted- I can call your parents and we'll find out what's going on-"

"I'm not crazy. I'm not lying!" I blurted before taking a step back. "No, this is- I can't be in Virginia. I was just in Soho! I had an accident-!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not saying you're crazy." She calmly lifted her arms and held out her hands, palms facing me. The officer eyed me, analytical. "I promise," she slowly started, pausing to make sure I was listening. "I promise that I'll help you, but to do that, I need you to get in the car."

It took everything not to break down on the spot. To not just sprint for the hills and escape her.

Despite the panic slowly welling in my chest, I took a deep breath and shakily put my hand on the car door, she inclined her head when I took a seat. The door gave a thud when I firmly shut it behind me. The officer switched on the heater when she spotted me wrapping my arms around my torso. However it wasn't in effort to warm myself up- it was more in a fetal attempt to comfort myself.

I was ready to break apart. Somehow, I ended up on the other side of the Atlantic without any recollection of when, how or why it happened. That wasn't normal, that's outright alarming. Stories of how people mysteriously found themselves in the middle of nowhere in a foreign nation usually came right before they discovered that they were missing a few organs. Or worse, a victim of human trafficking rings.

God almighty, I'm going to be charged with the illegally entering a country through improper channels.

I supposed it could be a lot worse. I could've ended up in countries where I couldn't speak or understand the language, or worse, an active war-zone like somewhere in Eastern Ukraine or the Middle East.

That still didn't answer the question of how in the hell did I somehow end up across the goddamned Atlantic Ocean in the first place.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" I couldn't blame her. I felt like a crazy person, being carted off to hospital in an American cop car to get my head seen to, probably both mentally and physically at this point. One moment I was crawling out of a car wreck, the next, I woke up laying on the ground in America.

"I don't think you're crazy."

"Then what do you think?"

"Well, you're upset, that's a given, but you're also confused." She slightly turned the wheel, slowing the car at a traffic light stop when the red light flashed. "In some cases in car accidents, depending on how hard the person hit their head," she glanced at me, a sympathetic smile on her mouth. "The person can get amnesia."

"You're saying I have amnesia?" I mumbled, steering my stinging gaze to the window, peering at the never ending treeline that extended forever. The glass was a little dirty but I wasn't about to comment on the lack of her maintenance skills when I was busy in my mind freaking out about the whole situation.

"It's a possibility- not to mention a concussion, so we'll need to stop by the hospital before we go to the station but maybe we'll get more details when we contact your parents." She sighed. "What's your name?"

"Sofia."

She pulled the radio from the side, putting it near her lips. I zoned out what she said. The nagging sensation in my head wouldn't go away. My extremely confused and panicked state was fading a little and I could see a little sense, she was extremely and eerily familiar. I recognised the feeling as major Deja Vu.

"Sorry, what was your name?" I cleared my throat. "Officer?"

"Sheriff Forbes, but you can call me Liz."

It hit me like a freight train.

Elizabeth Forbes.

I realised with a strong, sickening and almost unhinged sense of perturbation.

Who she was. My location.

Mystic Falls, why didn't I realise? I knew it was a real place but I could have never suspected it was real. That everyone inside of it was real and things happening in it were real. I was in Mystic Falls. The same Mystic Falls from Vampire Diaries.

It seemed impossible and possible all at once.

"Sofia?" Her chary, questioning voice broke me out of my reverie. Soft blue eyes filled with caution and something else burned into my skull. "Are you alright?"

I almost didn't breathe.

Answer.

"Yeah." I denied, lying through my teeth all while trying not to lose it. I puppeteered my features to brighten enough to suffice her concern, forcing the corners of my eyes to wrinkle, dimples to indent my cheeks and my mouth to spread. My poker face was obviously good, considering she let it go.

It was quiet the rest of the way, with the exception of the radio- which I had asked for permission to turn on. I kept tuning the radio until we reached a classical station- and when I got given a slightly weird look from Liz, I claimed that I loved jazz.

Which wasn't a lie. Jazz soothed me. I loved jazz.

We reached the hospital and Liz opened the door. I shuffled out and wanted to collapse to the ground but she checked in with the station before walking me to the door. It was almost lifeless inside, matching my numb mood. The walls were a blinding white, everything was dull and the patients droned in the waiting room like zombies, one person sitting on the side with an ice pack to their blackened eye and a stern looking woman next to him- who seemed pissed off. There was a little girl with an uncomfortably pale complexion with her dad stroking her hair as she coughed into her tiny hand.

I stepped passed a guy in a wheelchair, sending a polite smile before taking my seat while Liz was checking me in and talking to the receptionist. At one point she glanced at me, something unfathomable glinted in her eyes but she quickly turned to the receptionist again. I didn't have time to be concerned about it, too engrossed in my own drama.

Eventually, after seeing the doctor and letting her prod and examine me, we discussed in the hallway that I was concussed and that they wanted to keep me overnight. They lead me to a room, and Liz also followed closely behind whilst I panicked inside my head.

Concussed.

It didn't stop me from coming up with conclusions, wondering and thinking and thinking about what the hell was going on. That I was in Mystic Falls. Everything was different. I was involved somehow in a weird punishment from some God I didn't even believe in.

But I was concussed. Maybe this all wasn't real…

It seemed real.

But how the hell could I be sure? How the fuck would something like I theorised be remotely possible? I couldn't be in Vampire Diaries. It wasn't possible. It was insane to even consider that I was in a TV show or book series. That stuff happened in comic books and movies, not in actual life.

How else would I have explained Liz? This was too cruel to be a prank- too real.

Is this hell? I wanted to cry, but kept it in and started to head to the car.

"Sofia!"

I jolted, head whirling around to where the voice came from. A woman I had never seen before was charging over. She was beautiful. She wore a black pencil skirt and a light pink blouse, along with fancy looking heels. Dark brown hair bounced around her shoulders with her frantic jog, wide green eyes firmly on me.

Liz approached just as the woman threw herself onto me, arms locking around my shoulders. I nearly fell to the floor and stumbled out of shock. My hands lifted either side of her, staying in the air and not hugging her back. I felt my eyebrows raise into my hairline.

"Uh…" was my response.

As if my day couldn't get any god damn weirder.

"Fia, I'm so glad you're okay." she pulled away, hands placed on my shoulders as she leveled her eyes with mine. Something was full of pain and worry in her gaze. "How are you? Are you hurt?" Her hand caressed the side of my temple, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"Sorry to interrupt m'am," Liz interjected to my relief, looking at her with surveying eyes. "But who are you?"

"That's what I'd like to know." I spoke up, ripping myself away from her and taking a large step back to put some distance between me and the strange woman.

She looked a mix between frustrated and sad. She spoke softly. "Fia, I thought we were passed this?" The mystery woman turned to the Sheriff and sighed. "I'm her mother."

"Excuse me?" I demanded, starting to think I wasn't the only insane person in town.

"Adoptive, for a solid five months, but I'm her guardian." She sent me a glance, tears in her eyes and voice shaky. "The hospital called, told me you were in some sort of accident?"

"The doctor said that she could have amnesia," Liz claimed, sympathetic. "That could be why she doesn't know you."

"Oh god." She sobbed, putting a hand to her mouth and sniffling. "The past five months are gone?"

My entire world was spiralling out of control. It was probably a miracle I didn't have a mental break down or crawl to the corner of the room, rocking back and forth, sucking on my thumb. I wanted nothing more than to go to my room and sleep. To go back to my room and stop interacting with these two people.

Liz, who shouldn't exist.

This woman claiming to be my adoptive mother- who I didn't know.

This was insane.

I didn't know what to do- how to feel- everything was a haze.

I felt numb and every emotion combined at the same time.

How the hell- how the fuck is someone supposed to deal with this shit?

"I want to be alone." I had to fight myself from climbing out the window and just putting an end to all the jumbled, complicated mess my mind right now. "Now. Please."

"Sof-"

"Leave me alone." An edge sharpened into my voice, I took a step back, gesturing to the door. The bones in my legs were quaking, I felt numb. "Please."

She bit her lip but without a word, she left. Liz stared, and I resisted snapping at her and throwing the glass of water near me at her. "Just call if you need anything."

She followed suit.

The door shut.

Then the panicked tears flowed. I collapsed to the ground, slapping a hand to my mouth so my cries were muffled. I gripped the floor, inhaling deep breaths to attempt to calm myself. The floor was cold, and solid.

More importantly- real.

I wasn't home. I was in Mystic Falls.

I was in a world of vampires and werewolves and hybrids- oh god, Klaus. Kol. The originals. Witches. Everything came crashing down on me. Damon, Stefan, Elena- everything.

This was real. This was all **real**.

Vampires.

Fucking vampires.

Folklore definition of a vampire referred to a corpse that crawled out of its grave to feed on the blood of the living with its long canine teeth.

The word itself sounded stupid, and conjured up images of a hundred year old vampire who looked like a teenager ripped straight from a Nicholas Spark movie. With a heart of stone and filled with bitter loneliness, desperate to find someone to share his emotions with. Typical teenage romance drama filled with cringe moments and lines.

A myth, a fiction, a fantasy, depending on whatever one preferred to see them as. Except now they weren't myths, fiction and fantasy but actual reality. Along with the likes of werewolves and witches, and warlocks or whatever fancy names they came up for themselves.

Unthinkable, unbelievable, impossible.

Yet, here I am.

Right here, in this hospital room- in Mystic Falls.

Fuck me sideways.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the reviews! The pairing has not yet been confirmed and is undecided, but the more encouragement I get for one pairing it might slide towards it, we will see how all of their personalities clash with Sofia ^_^**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: Enrollment**

* * *

Day 3

It was Saturday.

I was still here.

I had been here for three days.

Three fucking days in an alternate dimension in which I was stuck in the fictional universe with the Salvatore's and mysterious doppelgangers.

My adoptive mother had drove me home after I spent the night at the hospital, attempting all she could to 'remind' me of memories I didn't actually have. Even if it was her version of me, I couldn't believe that someone could just forget five months, no matter how hard the blow to the head. My car accident seemed to carry over from my world to this one- but no amount of research could probably explain to me how the hell I managed to teleport from a normal, vampire and magic-free universe to somewhere that shouldn't even exist.

Well, technically Mystic Falls existed, just not in the sense I thought. The people there weren't supposed to be real. The myths, the vampires, the magic, the dark magnetism the town held that created tragedy. None of it was supposed to be real.

I had found a journal and scribbled down the events but in a simple way. Just in case someone had gone through it for whatever reason- be my mother or some nosy brat. This way, if they looked through it, all they would see are passphrases and single words I needed to remind myself of the events that happen. No names were used. Nothing that could point a giant, neon crazy person sign at my head.

My room was (shockingly) different. The house was on some random street I had never heard of, coincidentally near the grill in the middle of town. I made a mental note to check it the next day when I wasn't busy. It wasn't the richest building on the road, but it was bigger than I was used to, having only living in a house of flats with my grandma.

It seemed a little classier too. A sophisticated looking fireplace in the living room, along with a flat screen T.V and sleek sofas, a soft crimson colored carpet laid between them. Resting atop the coffee table was a newspaper and a few letters from the local hospital. Most of them were recommendation for a follow up appointment with some neurologist, MRI or computed tomology scans to measure for any anomalies in my brain structure, in regards to what they called 'suspected retrograde amnesia'.

One of them even suggested epilepsy medication.

A little hard to place any trust in the judgement of local medical specialists when they were suggesting such extreme treatments for a simple bump to my head. What's next? Chemotherapy?

To make things even more eerie, there was an old picture of a younger me horseriding mounted on the living room wall, which had confused the hell out of me. I had never even touched a horse before- not that I would complain, I just had never had the chance. There was a passport with a mugshot of me tucked away in my desk of drawers and clothes I didn't think I'd ever wear hung up in my wardrobe.

What made things worse, none of my art supplies were here. This other version of me didn't paint, draw. By the looks of things, she didn't have the same gaming hobbies either. There was a few medals draped across the mantlepiece. Two silvers and one gold. Next to it was a picture of me standing, sweaty and grinning on a track course- with me in sportswear. Apparently this me liked to run.

It was hard to deal with. All of this. I didn't know how any other normal person could possibly react to finding out where they were. I didn't know how I was supposed to react. Eventually I had become sort of numb to it, but still struggled acceptance and contemplated ideas.

It had been a long while since I had even watched the show- or even read the books I never finished. It was a far away memory, as if it were something that happened in my early childhood. Not to mention, my memory wasn't the best.

Witches, were a possible solution. Maybe there was something in someone's grimoire about dimension travel.

The only witch in town I knew was Bonnie and she was just starting out- I didn't even know what the date was and where I was in the VD timeline. If it was season one, then I didn't have a chance- unless I talked to her gram-gram about this. However she even might think I was crazy.

Another option was to speak to the originals somehow, un-dagger them and unrealistically hope that they didn't rip my throat out. The only civil one I had a chance with was Elijah and even then it was a preposterous thought. That idea was thrown out of the window before it could even manifest into something more. There was no way.

My first goal on the agenda was to find out where I was in the VD timeline. If it was 2009, it was most likely the first season. I couldn't quite remember all that clearly but I was pretty sure the series was released in that time.

I just had to… figure it out.

It was hard- and extremely abnormal and weird that everything was so unfamiliar- yet at the same time it was familiar. So familiar. When I glanced outside my window I had half expected to see the park usually on the other side of the street, children playing about and adults supervising their toddlers in the playground, people walking their dogs and teenagers in uniform hanging out on the graffiti-stained gazebo after school.

However, I saw an alien street. Completely new to my eyes. The Mystic Grill was sitting there, lights shining through the windows, music faintly emitting from it and a few people standing outside, one or two of them having a cigarette whilst the others merely stood and talked to each other.

My eyes flickered across the room to the charger plugged into my phone and I thought about my parents. No doubt it would probably take a day for them to realise I was missing, my grandma was probably at work, then would call my mother when she found out I wasn't home and didn't answer my phone. Maybe I could somehow call them, let them know I was oka-

Karen, my mother, spoke through the door and cut off my plotting. Her voice muffled. "Sweetie, can I come in?"

I quickly shut the journal, wrapping the clasp around the book before putting it underneath my nest of pillows, making a note to find a better hiding place. "Sure."

She gently opened the door, foot nudging further. Karen's green eyes peered into the room before landing on me. Her hands were busy, holding a tray of food. "I brought you dinner."

A little nonplussed, I offered her a small smile, swinging my legs to the edge of the bed to face her. "Oh... thank you."

She set it down at the end of my bed, taking a seat next to me. The mattress dipped down underneath her. After picking up the plate of mac and cheese, I glanced at the stranger, gut knotting when I saw her watching me. As freaked out as I felt, this must've been hard for her. Her supposed daughter didn't know who she was. Five months- gone in the blink of an eye.

"This must be… odd." She realised, averting her intrusive gaze. "Living in the same house as a… stranger. Who you got told is your mother rather than…" her face twisted into a slight cringe, hand pressing to where her heart was. "Know."

I didn't say anything and merely gave a nod. How was I supposed to answer that? How was I going to comfort someone I barely knew?

She inclined her head, letting out a soft, quiet sigh and folding her hands into her lap. The dim, warm glow of my lamp next to my bedside embellished her features. She swept her hair over her shoulder, big emerald eyes examining me. "You must have a lot of questions."

She has no idea.

Where did I even start?

My brain stuttered and the gears turned. What did I ask first? Where was my supposed 'father' or why the hell was I in Mystic Falls? Why the hell was I in an alternate universe where I happened to be in the life of a TV show? Or a book- I didn't even know what this was. I wouldn't know until I saw Elena. If she was blonde- I was in the book series, which I hadn't even finished.

If she was brunette- well, that meant I was in the plot of a TV series.

Even so, what did I do? Why was I here? Why me of all people? Why, why, why, what, how- all those questions kept repeating in a cycle. I didn't know where to start or how to finish, my head was a piled mess of questions that demanded answers.

I couldn't even ask the questions I wanted to.

I had stared in the mirror at some point and had an existential crisis. I had wondered if I died and was resurrected in a place I knew like the back of my hand- well, mostly. Was this purgatory? Was I dead? Was I in some sort of coma and this was my safe place? I hadn't watched the show in a long time, the latest season didn't click with me.

Not only did I somehow teleport myself here, but I went back in time- as if it wasn't real enough already.

Before I could delve deeper into my disturbed mind, Karen cut off my thoughts and put a reassuring hand on my knee. "It's okay," her gaze was warm and friendly, glinting with worry. "How about… why we moved from Soho to a whole other country?"

I pressed my lips together, gave a firm nod and cleared my throat, glancing momentarily at her hand on my knee. "It's a- it's a start."

"Right." She withdrew her hand, inhaling. "We just moved to Mystic Falls. A few weeks ago, I got a job offer as a news editor, but it required us to move. It's a lot more than I used to get paid, and you encouraged me to take it. Now we're here."

"Do I…" She gave me an expectant look when I trailed off from my uncertainty, eyebrows raising slightly as she waited. Fuck it. "Do I have a dad?"

"Single mother." She merely smiled, but I didn't. My dad was back in the other world, as well as everyone else I knew. A lonely pang pierced through my heart but I ignored it.

"Why?"

"We'll talk about that another time," she strained a smile. I dropped it.

"Do I go to school here?" If I did, that was one way to see which Elena was here, to know which verse I was in. It was also another way to get hauled into the mess of VD.

If I became close to Elena. If I became her friend- or any of the main cast, I would instantly become a part of their lives. I would no doubt be dragged into their drama- Damon could kidnap or drain me as a way to affect Elena. A way to intimidate her and a way to screw with Stefan's moral rules.

At the same time- it was a way to change events. It was a way to possibly get home. If I befriended Bonnie, I could talk to her grams. If I befriended Elena, who no doubt gets involved with witches- it would be an open doorway.

"You actually start monday." She informed, to my . "But after your accident, I'm wondering if you should have a bit of a late start-"

"That's okay." I shook my head, tapping a finger on my leg. "I don't mind."

"Fia, you were in a car accident." She emphasised, staring at me with incredulous eyes. "You don't have you worry and most kids would probably milk it to avoid school."

"I feel fine," I defended. "I wanna get a head start anyway."

But she still pressed on. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright, I'll email the school." She stood up and headed for the door but I stopped her.

"And thank you… for the mac and cheese."

The warm smile she wore heightened her pretty features and lit up her eyes. "You're welcome."

She left the room with the door ajar and when I was sure she was in her room at the end of the corridor I quickly got up and shut the door before taking out my journal again, listing tomorrow with importance.

It was Monday.

Day five. School day.

Fuck me, it's nearly been a week.

A week in Mystic Ville.

To make matters worse- I was going to school.

American high school, as well. I didn't know anything about American high school with the exception of what I had seen on TV or comic books, which probably wasn't even incredibly accurate. No doubt it had bullies, like every school did.

I picked out a pale yellow accordion skirt which flowed to above my knees along with a black vest top and some embroidered Chinese red and black flats. Snatching up the denim jacket draped on the nearby chair, I pulled it on as I passed Karen in the corridor early that morning, sending her a polite nod of acknowledgement. She had followed me downstairs, asking if I'd like a ride- and I gladly accepted, having no idea where the hell I would go.

"Excited? Nervous?" She had questioned when she saw the look on my face, and I remember feeling every single emotion all at once the moment she pulled up to the school and I sat there, suddenly not wanting to go through with any of this. "You don't have to go in at all, Sofia. You don't have to be strong all the time."

She had no idea.

Her tempting to let me hide away in bed had to stop or I was going to cave in. I had to get out of the car and now.

"I'm fine. I'll see you later." I lied, then opened the car door and charged headfirst to the school, gripping impossibly tight onto the strap of my bag until my knuckles were ghostly white.

Students crawled around everywhere, but I didn't recognize any of them. I scanned heads, analysing and surveying the crowds, wondering if Elena's bog-standard face would pop out in any of them- to no avail. I couldn't see a stunning blonde or the beautiful brunette anywhere.

I went to the receptionist to check in.

She had my details, which freaked me out even more but I kept up the facade I was strongly holding against everyone and grabbed my schedule, as well as putting the sticker she gave me into my bag. It was a free, golden ticket for bullies to see the "Hi. I'm Sofia. I'm new." sticker and humiliate the fuck out of me.

But on the way out, my shoulder slammed into something solid. Ow.

I stumbled back with a gasp and nearly fell but fingers wrapped around my forearm with a hard grip, almost cutting off my circulation.

When I lifted my gaze, I certainly didn't expect to be staring straight at Stefan. Fucking. Salvatore.

Deep-set, moss coloured eyes peered down at me over his straight nose. A classically handsome, yet pale face was adorned by a concerned, confused frown on his broad forehead. He towered over my average height, the warm sunlight from the window next to us embellished his dark blonde hair, which was spiked.

He was there.

He was undeniably there. In the flesh.

It was hard to believe. I think my brain shut down for a few seconds, leaving an empty shell unable to comprehend and process this fact. He was standing there. Looking at me. His well-formed mouth moving, forming shapes, making noise.

Wait, shit.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked like an absent-minded idiot, having realised that he spoke to me and that I probably appeared like some starstruck, gaping baboon.

"Are you alright?" He repeated, regarding me. I tried not to gawk at the poor boy. Man, I reminded myself.

He had triple digits on me in age, which was a weird thought in itself. Slightly creepy, if you asked me. Especially the age difference between the two. But I could see why Elena got sidetracked in that thought process, considering he was eye candy. He was good looking, that was for sure. However, I wasn't fully focused on that- I was freaking out more over the fact he was real.

Vampire. My mind whispered.

He was a vampire. One hundred and sixty nine years old. He could easily without effort kick me and my body would explode like a balloon with too much air. Messy. Grim. The scenario's built up in my head until I could barely breathe. He was so friendly looking- so normal. But it was unsuspecting, the perfect form to draw in his prey and eat thm.

However, it put me more at ease when I realised this was Stefan.

He didn't hurt humans unless he had a reason to. Even then, he appeared to be more human than most humans were. He was kind. He was reasonable. He wasn't in his ripper stage. He wasn't like Damon, who in season one was carefree and had no regard for human life.

Damon was was also incredibly dangerous. He was older. He could be maliciously cold if he wanted to be, especially after being hurt. He would snap my neck with a flick of his wrist. If I could help it- I would avoid him.

He was also hot, and I'm sure he'd be even more strikingly handsome off camera and up close. God help me if we did meet- he wouldn't have to compel me to hypnotise me. His pretty blue eyes were enough for that. Not that I would actually agree to bend my knee backwards for him. He was a monster early on too. Fickle. Any interaction with him was like playing with fire.

Why was it always the hot ones?

"Uh-Abso-yes," I stammered, flustered, then looked down at his hand, seeing it grasping my elbow still. I felt my eyes widen a fraction when I saw the familiar lapis ring firmly on his finger.

Sunlight ring. It was awe inducing that the tiny piece of silver was keeping him from bursting into flames. One move, one slip and he was dead. Stefan seemed to notice the movement and followed my gaze, quickly withdrawing his hand.

"Right. Sorry." He hastily apologised and flashed a small charming smile that I'm sure would melt most girls. Except me. Before I could open my mouth, he walked passed me, leaving me standing there, stunned.

Holy shit.

Holy shit.

The exchange was very brief. Yet, my heart pounded over it. I wanted to go back home, knowing he could probably hear it full blast in those magnified eardrums he had- which was a little embarrassing and made me paranoid.

There was no visible reason that I should have been nervous either than the usual teenager having a crush and making a pass at him- hopefully he would see it as an infatuation rather than the gut wrenching fear eating away in my stomach.

It was hard to picture him as… a vampire.

The fact I had just nose-dived headfirst into a life sucking creature sent a chill down my spine, raking ice down my back. My gut twisted and turned over, my breath hitched and I moved over to the lockers, pressing my hand against it for support. Holy shit I headbutted into a vampire.

A vampire.

A motherfucking vampire.

Again. He didn't look like a vampire. It was difficult to imagine him as the limb-tearing, murderous demon seen from the episodes.

But I suppose that was the point- to hide in plain sight.

My hands trembled. I pulled my denim sleeves over my knuckles, wrapping my arms around my torso, intaking a wavering breath. The air was colder. I felt more alone, despite being surrounded by a bunch of students. Being in the same school as he was felt scary. Dangerous.

Thrilling.

"Fuck me sideways up a mountain and spread me with jam." I muttered to myself, gaining a weird look from the brown haired dude next to me. I noticed a label on his polyester sweater, similar to mine that the receptionist handed to me. Hi. I'm Mark. I'm new. "What? Nobody asked you for your judging stares, Mark."

He averted his eyes and shut his locker, then quickly walked off, eager to escape me.

Good.

Good riddance.

I was dealing with heavy crap right now and I did not want to deal with him.

I wandered around after that, glancing at the schedule that I was given. Homeroom.

This'll be interesting.

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 **I forgot to mention in the previous chapter. I'm going to try and upload a chapter every Tuesday. Time unconfirmed, but Tuesday is my aim.**

 **Peace out ~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hola! This update is on time, as promised. However, something has recently happened to cause me to be emitted into the hospital for a couple days and I just got discharged. It may take me a while for the next update or so I'm not sure, but this chap is a little longer than the last so I hope you enjoy regardless ^_^**

 **Thank you all who reviewed! It means more than you guys will know and helps encourage me write, it helps a writers motivation to know that people appreciate our efforts to get the story to our readers, keep them coming! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The Foreshadow**

 _Day 5_

"Miss Howlett I presume, Sofia Howlett?"

I nodded, closing my locker and looking up at the tall man standing in front of me. He was thin, with a receding ginger hairline and crescent shaped glasses on his nose.

"Excellent, I'm James Kalvin, your homeroom teacher. I've been meaning to talk to you before you head for class," he looked down at his watch. "Normally, given your circumstances I would send you to the nurse for a quick visit as well but there's no time for that now."

News travels fast I see, wonder who else knows.

"What for?" I asked as I followed him down the hall.

"Your…" he picked about for the right word to use, frowning. "Condition so to speak. Not to be too blunt but I've just learned about this amnesia that I'm told you have, so this is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you. So effectively, in addition to teaching I would also be monitoring you as best I can, and if in any event you don't feel well, I will need you to voice them immediately."

"I'm fine," I held back the urge to snap at him, my patience a little thin from dealing with all the doctors and nurses who seemed determined to treat me like a glass doll. "It's not as bad as it sounds, really."

"On the contrary, I disagree. Violent blows delivered to the skull is not something that one can walk off that simply." His tone hardened as he stopped by the third door on the second floor corridor. "You may feel fine right now, but I assure you chances are that is not the case, the amnesia itself should be a telltale sign that something isn't right. So if you feel anything, faint, momentary loss of motor control, involuntary muscle twitching or spasms, or any of the sorts, I want you to voice it out and go look for the nurse. Am I clear?"

I tightened my jaw but held in my sigh. "I insist that I'm fine, but yes, I'll go to the nurse."

"Good," he smiled slightly before opening the door. "Morning everyone, sorry I'm a little late."

I stayed outside, partially to get a grip on myself before I meet the class, and partially because I wanted to make sure I didn't have any outward expressions of being bothered by what Mr Kalvin had said.

"... before we start there is something I would like to address. Miss Howlett?"

"Hey." I greeted, waving a hand to all the staring people in the room as I stepped in. It lasted two seconds before I found myself looking away to avoid the burning, curious gazes from over twenty pairs of eyes, disguising my awkwardness by pretending to be taking in my surrounds.

"This is Sofia Howlett," I heard the teacher go on beside me as I forced myself to look back at the class. "She's our new student, so please be hospitable and make her feel welcome in our great school."

There it was. I was officially labelled. The freshmen. The new meat for people snobbishly to pick at. The shiny new medal waiting to be earned by the top notch bully in the entire building if I wasn't cool enough to fit in. It was judgement day and I had to make a reputation for myself.

My skirt swayed when I had twirled around, clasping my fingers through the other hand behind me when I faced the countless eyes burning into me. Various people were staring at my pinched expression, which quickly switched to a greeting smile so they didn't know my fear. Some students weren't interested and went back to staring out the window or glancing down at their phones. Either checking their social media sites or texting.

Instantly, my gaze ignored the intense scrutinising of some of the students, scanning for any familiar faces. I surprisingly caught one, Matt Donovan. He was leaning back in his seat, arm lazed across the desk, casually glancing up at me with baby blue eyes, his recognisable blonde hair was short and he wore his football team jacket.

It shouldn't have come as a shock that he was good looking. Most, if not all the people in VD were pretty, even the extras. Mainly for the purpose of the cameras- but it almost didn't seem fair. I mean come on, was this supposed to be a normal high school or one for supermodels?

"Take a seat Sofia, there should be an empty seat for you. Normally, this is where I tell you who has been assigned with the important task of showing you around..." There were some snickers at that, which was quickly silence with a quick glare from Mr. Kalvin. "But since he is currently on sick day, I'm assigning you with a temporary one. Jackie, thank you for volunteering. Please, try not to eat the transfer."

The loud thump of a forehead hitting the desk told me that it was anything but voluntary. I secretly wished it was next to Matt. He didn't know me, but it was nice to have some familiarity in this unorthodox situation. Some… kind of sense of normalcy, in a way.

However it wasn't. My seat was in between one girl with short platinum hair, immensely pale face adorned with piercings and a tattoo on her temple, black lips forming a deep frown. Her clothes were entirely black. The other person was the polar opposite, a neat and peppy looking girl with a neat blouse, a white headband to match in her brunette hair. Warm brown eyes met mine as I approached and she sweetly smiled at me. If she had any reservations about being volunteered to show me around, she hid it pretty well.

The moment I took my seat, she had edged closer, speaking with earnest and an almost too enthusiastic, blindingly white smile. "Welcome to Mystic Falls!"

"Thanks." I politely inclined my head, pulling out the seat and adjusting my toosh onto it, lazily leaving my bag underneath next to my feet.

Homeroom didn't last long, it was just to get updates on the school events and do the register to make sure everyone was present in school. The instant the bell rang the room melted into sounds of screeching chairs and the students chatting amongst themselves. The door opened and they all piled out.

"I'm Jackie." A perfectly manicured hand was shoved into my face before I get out of my chair, causing me to recoil. The peppy girl stood in front of my desk, completely blanking the glare from the goth who charged by her. "It's nice to meet your acquaintance, Sofia."

"Uh-nice to meet you too." I made sure none of the doubt I felt leaked into my voice, carefully returning the shake of her hand. Her grip was firm. I withdrew my hand and tucked in my chair, suddenly feeling eager to leave.

However, she stepped in my way. Eager grin on her face. "What's your next class?"

"Biology." I recalled, then allowed my eyes to drift passed her to the empty door, which beckoned me. I quickly shuffled by her. "Uh- sorry I don't want to be late. First day."

"Okay! Understandable! Maybe I'll see you at lunch!" She called after me enthusiastically.

I think I found a copycat of Caroline.

Thinking of the blonde put a grimace on my face when I realised it would be season one Caroline I'd be dealing with. The self-centred, no-filter, shallow, popular one. I wasn't looking forward to it.

Finding my way around the school wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be. The map was rather easy to read, and I've always been good at reading instructions. The halls were easy to navigate and I glided through them.

The rest of the day was pretty simple. I managed to avoid the Jackie girl in lunch and sat in the library, which was understandably empty with the exception of me and this other dude who had his head heavily focused on his book.

After my third class, I chased after Matt Donovan, motive on my mind. He was the first step to getting involved with Elena and her posse. My welcome buddy who was in homeroom had ditched me, obviously not interested in showing around the new girl- not even one with a "cool, British accent" that I've heard people commonly whisper.

Every time, my mind muttered.

I was actually surprised when someone called me a limey. I honestly didn't expect that.

When he stopped at a vending machine I almost grinned at the opportunity and "stumbled" into him when he turned from it, putting my plan in action. My books clattered to the floor, as well as the granola bar he had just purchased. I stood there for a moment, staring at the stuff that sprawled, then knelt on the floor- knowing he would follow.

If my judge of character and memory was correct, Matt was the type of person to be nice. To give his friends a helping hand and be incredibly loyal. He was a good guy. I was personally glad Elena dumped him, because he deserved better than her- from what I had seen. He could move on.

Not with me though, as much as I entertained the idea in my head when his baby blue eyes met mine. Apology already on his tongue but I beat him to it. "I'm so sorry! I'm such a klutz!"

A warm smile adapted his mouth and I almost screamed in triumph but avoided it, not wanting to spook him. "It's okay- uh, here," he knelt down next to me, picking up the books I acquired from the library, a frown formed on his head when he saw the title of the one he was holding, mirth flashing in his expression. "You're a vampire lover, huh?"

"Folklore stuff is my weakness." I took the book from him, trying not to laugh at the conversation topic.

He nodded, then something clicked in his gaze. "Oh, you're that new girl- the-"

"One from England. And before you ask, no, I don't like tea but I have to admit- the stereotype on crumpets is correct, I can't get enough of them." I interjected with a grin spreading on my lips to let him know I was kidding. He laughed. Introduce yourself you dolt. "I'm Sofia."

"Matt," he greeted, I held out my hand and he quickly shook it. "Are you lost?"

"Yes," I lied. "Would you mind walking me there?"

He shrugged, opening his granola bar before baring a winning, friendly smile. "Uh, sure. I don't mind at all, what's your next class?"

"Uh-" What is my next class? I fumbled with the paper, eyes peering at the timetable, lighting up at the news. "Art, room C44 with Mr. Jorwarski."

"Nice," he grinned, then leaned over my shoulder, which wasn't difficult with his 6'ft height. I went up to his chest, head under his chin. "You'll have fun in his class."

"Well, lead the way good sir!" I wave an arm as a gesture, bowing slightly. I added in a cheesy smile for good measure which seemed to work because it made him chuckle at my dorkish mannerisms.

Matt lead the way, and I followed after him, making sure to keep the conversation smoothly sailing. He was a normal guy and fun to talk to, but I did notice the slight wistful haze he was in when we stopped chatting for a bit and looked where he was looking- my breath hitched when I saw a very familiar Nina Dobrev look alike walking the halls and pausing to meet his gaze.

Seeing her off screen put a pang of envy eating away at my stomach like a filthy acid. I could see why the two brothers and even Matt were pining over her now. She was absolutely beautiful. A cute oval facial shape and light olive complexion was unflawed, pretty doe-eyes glancing over at Matt with what looked like guilt. Cascading down her shoulders was perfectly silky, straight brown hair. She was a little taller than me, by estimate.

"Ex-girlfriend?" I spoke up, as if it was a question. But I knew it was a statement.

Matt's sombre eyes snapped down to me, his jaw unclenching, then he looked sheepish at being caught. I almost felt bad for having my knowledge. "Oh… is it that obvious?"

I glanced over at Elena- who had noticed me and was watching the two of us interact. Ignoring the burning, questioning stare I turned back to Matt, putting a comforting hand on his arm. "No, of course not- I'm just observant."

He was slightly startled by my touchy-feely nature but quickly recovered and cleared his throat, looking down at my hand. "Um, right."

I got the hint and withdrew my hand, letting out an amused chuckle at his thought process. "Matt, you can relax. I'm just an affectionate person and I can see you hurting," he looked relieved. I felt slightly insulted but swatted it aside. He just broke up with his girlfriend, the last thing he wants is someone crushing on him. "If you want, we can hang out and I'll buy you a drink so you can rant away."

His eyebrows quirked. "Oh… that's nice of you, but-"

"As friends." I emphasised. A small smile grew on his face and he nodded.

He scratched the side of his head. "Actually, I'm going to this back to school thing tomorrow night, but... you wanna go?"

The night Vicki became a personal ball of yarn for kitty Damon.

Well, if he was any form of cat, he'd probably be a panther, not a kitten.

Unease settled in my gut. The night his sister had officially became a simple tool for the old vampire to mess with, to be used so he could taunt Stefan and Elena. He would use her, mock her, turn her- the moment she walked into that party as the moment her death warrant was signed.

I could try to do something about it.

I could try to stop it.

To avoid seeing the heartbroken, empty look in Matt's eyes slowly grow the more he hung around in Mystic Falls. The more he was around Elena- who seemed to be an impossible magnet for death.

But I couldn't.

If I messed with the balance or some weird mystical shit and crossed the universe, who knew what would happen.

I could fuck shit up. If he didn't go for Vicki, he would merely go for someone else. Maybe even Caroline or Bonnie, make them into his personal puppet. I knew he would go for Caroline, but this was too early- he would probably kill her. If I was a vampire and it was season one Caroline- I probably would snap.

Guilt swam around me, but I squished it down and ignored the puppy eyed look Matt gave me, trying to ignore the fact I was playing God with his sister's life. Don't touch it. The less you do, the less you affect.

It also would give me a chance to talk to Bonnie, maybe become her friend. Which would lead to sleepovers, which would let me talk to her grams about alternate dimensional time travel- I need to talk to a witch. I pursed my mouth but nodded. "Sure. I'd be happy to."

"Great." He grinned, I took out my phone and held it to him.

"Just put your number in and I'll text you later when I'm leaving tomorrow." I instructed and he complied, when he was walking away I still felt eyes on the back of my skull and looked over at Elena, who quickly looked away from me when she realised I caught her.

Now I knew that the world I was in had the TV series plot elements. Not the book. Knowing this didn't exactly put me at ease, knowing a few things I would rather avoid- but at the same time it gave me some satisfaction to know where I was. I knew a lot and nothing all at once, it was confusing.

Before I could go make friends with Elena Gilbert- she hastily walked off what I assumed was her next class.

The rest of the day was boring, filled with gathering homework (on the first day) and lumbering around heavy books, putting half of them in my new locker. I had to write down the combination on my arm so I wouldn't forget it at the receptionist desk, leaving a smear of ink on my arm. But I had said it enough times in my head by that time and could memorise it.

At the end of the day, I had made two friends- Matt included.

In chemistry, my second to last period. I met Sid Morrison. He was a good few months older than me, towering over me at 6'2. He had an awesome red mohawk with black roots flicking out. His tongue, septum, ears and eyebrow were pierced and he had a tattoo of a grim reaper on his arm I saw when he rolled his hoodie sleeve up.

I teased him, calling him edgy and quoted Evanescence. He laughed, then I complimented his ink. We were chem partners and now friends, especially with how much we had in common. Video games, he loved to draw and watch anime. He was a cool person.

My phone rang, interrupting my reminiscing. I glanced down at the screen. Karen was calling me. I pressed the device against my ear and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey sweetie!" She said, I heard background noise- muffled talking and car noises. "I'm just at the store, do you want a lift when I finish? I won't be long."

Free ride? No walking? Count me in. "Yeah, thank you."

"Okay, I'll be on my way in five, see you in a minute." She hung up and I proceeded to the front of the school.

My first American party.

I trudged up the steep hill, ignoring the teasing wink Sid threw me when he easily passed me and I started grunting. He offered a hand- so I took it and he pulled me along toward the commotion in the middle of the woods. My first thought was that they were a little stupid, having a party location in the woods where a bunch of horror story cliches would inevitably happen. Serial kills dragging unsuspecting victims off one by one, picking off innocent but idiotic lives.

A pack of wolves- my mind went to werewolves, could run in and automatically make someone their chew toy.

And the last, obvious option.

A vampire, hungry and irritated by the noise could easily charge in and drain every single person in a blink of an eye. They were strong. They were vicious. They were fast.

Damon, in particular, was out tonight. Ready to drag off any drunk kid and just drink from them as if they were a foil packed Capri-sun. He had no qualms about ending life.

Which is why I wasn't drinking tonight, and I was staying impossibly close to the middle of the party with Sid- and maybe Matt. If I wandered off, stumbled over a branch- especially alone, I would become Damon's next meal and with my lack of connection to Stefan and Elena- he wouldn't even keep me around to mock them.

On second thought, he didn't kill Vicki. He left with just enough blood so she'd be alive. That wasn't a mistake, he knew what he was doing because he wasn't too much of a young ametuer. He'd been doing this for one hundred years give or take.

Maybe he was doing it to ease Elena into the possibility vampires existed, or just as a warning and hint to Stefan he was in town. A holy shit scare tactic and hello little brother greeting card in his Damon's eyes.

We walked passed a few people who formed a circle, gulping down what looked like beer. People cried out, cheering loudly when someone completed their task of chugging down their glass.

I scanned around whilst walking behind Sid, surveying the area.

Next to a bridge there was a wooden piece of construction- which looked like a hut for people to sit in, with a slight shelter above it and seats below. A couple were making out by the tree, crazy teenagers prancing about and having fun, mingling.

"You look nervous." I was drawn out of my thoughts. Grey eyes with a reflected flame inside them peered down at me, a light smile on his pale, piercing adorned face.

"Me?" I scoffed, swatting a dismissive hand and setting my facade back up. "Nah, I'm just a little awkward. In a place I don't know with people I barely know. It's weird."

His expression changed to sympathetic. "Oh, right. Must be odd, being so far away from home."

"Let's not talk about that." I forced an enthusiastic grin, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me, dear sir- in chem you said you skated, when did you start to learn?"

"About five years ago." He chuckled, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, placing it in the crook of his mouth as he fished for a lighter, patting his pockets down.

"Maybe we can skate sometime." I suggested, folding my legs on the log. "I think I have my old skateboard around-" I paused, cutting myself off. I wasn't home anymore, I didn't even know if I still had a skateboard. Does this Sofia even skate? "Um- I could have a look around and see if I still have my skateboard in the attic."

He flicked the lighter and the flame licked the thin cylinder, eyes lazily travelling back over to me as he inhaled the finely cut tobacco. Smoke flowed out through his nostrils like a dragon and he blew it out to the side through his mouth, making sure to turn away from me so it didn't go into my face.

"Yeah sure." He bobbed his head, scratching his ink stained arm. The abyssal black eyes from the skull stared at me. I smirked at the irony. The grim reaper was such a foreshadowing, considering the amount of deaths and the fact a vampire was here.

If only he knew.

My gaze flickered out, scanning the trees as if I could see the handsome blue eyed vampire stalking throughout the night. But even as I squinted through my glasses, which I paused to adjust on my nose, there wasn't a peep. Not yet. It made me paranoid. His lack of presence put me on edge and unsettled me greatly.

A hand suddenly waved in my face. I blinked and looked up at him, to find the boy staring at me with a quirking eyebrow. "Sofia? You alright there? Looking for someone?"

"Uh-" I caught a glimpse of blonde hair behind him. "Actually, yes." Good save. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled over the music. "Matt!"

Donovan whirled around at the call of his name, then locked his gaze with mine and allowed a smile to appear on his face. He started toward us, Sid threw me a questioning look. "Got a boyfriend already? Wow, you work fast."

"He's not my boyfriend." I hissed in a whisper before Matt walked over. "Hey! You having fun?"

He put a hand up and tilted it from side to side in a ish motion. "I'm not drunk yet." His baby blues flickered to Sid, who gave him a quick, curious once over. "Hey, I'm Matt."

"Sid," He glanced at me, lips twitching ever so slightly, then back at Matt and held out his hand with a crooked grin. "Pleasure."

Matt shook his hand. "So have you two known each other long?"

"Since chem class today." I clarified, to Matt's surprise. "But we get on like two peas in a pod, he's like the brother I never had-"

"Hey!" My tall companion flicked me in the middle of my forehead, pouting. "Don't brother zone me, that's harsh."

"Okay fine, fine," I almost grinned at the truth in my private joke. "You're my alternate universe twin."

He gasped dramatically, putting an offended hand on his 'heart', which made Matt chuckle. "Oh you did not just dimensional-twin-zone me."

"Aww, such a shame. Because I just did." I sweetly smiled up at the male, who feigned flicking his hair, flipping a hand much like the effeminate, gay stereotype.

"Un-effing-believable." I snorted when he forced on a valley girl, high pitched voice. He did his best to look affronted, a scrunched up expression pinching his features. "I'm so, like, gonna have a… a...BF!"

"Bf?" Matt asked, then his enquiring eyes darted over to me, asking me a silent question.

"Bitch fit." I informed, to which he snickered. "It's a movie reference. I'll show you one day."

"Sure." He chuckled again, then his eye caught something. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Bonnie and Caroline." Matt nudged his head in the direction of the said two- who were deeply in conversation and leaning against the bridge. I deeply inhaled at the sight of them.

This was so weird.

Usually, I'd admire all of these people through a TV screen.

And here I was.

It was a feeling that I would never get used to. It was so surreal. I almost wanted to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I wasn't still dreaming. I doubted I'd have a dream for five days, though. On one hand, dreams are timeless when you're experiencing them but on the other-

I should've woken up by now.

This was more than lucid dreaming.

"Sofia?"

I looked up to find both of the boys staring at me. Concern obvious in both of their gazes. I straightened, ignoring the looks and smiling as if my sudden hesitation was never there. "Yeah, sure! Sorry I'm a weird daydreamer- I live in my head from time to time."

Sid didn't look so ready to believe me and Matt merely nodded with a short laugh that didn't sound genuine. But they followed me when I started to trudge forward- snatching a beer from a nearby couple who were too busy smashing their mouths together, taking a swig.

Not too much, just enough to take the nerves away.

I wanted to stay alert. Especially with him in the area.

Karen said she would pick me up, not liking it when I come home late because she worries. I was dreading the inevitable- for when I would hear the scream like an alarm clock, ready to deal with seeing Vicki Donovan half dead on the floor.

For now, I had to deal with another issue.

"Guys, this is Sofia, and Sid."

They both appeared like they were in the show, look alikes of their actresses. Caroline was slim and taller than me with soft blonde curls and small cyan coloured eyes that peered down at me with a pure scrutinising agenda, a bright smile that reminded me of Jackie flashed across her mouth. Polite. A little too friendly. Caroline Forbes. Cool in the later seasons, but bit of a shallow cow in the first one.

Bonnie was a little shorter than me though, she had soft, gentle features along with a heart shaped face. Her olive green eyes were very pretty and almost put me to a stop. They gave her an almost ethereal beauty, with light brown skin and luxurious dark brown hair.

She gave me a warm smile and I gladly returned it. Bonnie Bennett. Kind. Strong. A lovely, loyal friend. Also possible ticket home.

Sid took the fag from his mouth, casually dropping it to the floor and stamping on it with the tip of his foot before he threw a friendly wave at the girls. "Sup."

"Hello." I greeted, wiggling my own fingers.

"So you're the British new girl." Caroline's voice nearly made me twitch. It was sickeningly sweet. False. She bared her perfect teeth into a grin, reminding me of a shark. "I'd love to go to London, meet all those-" she forced an accent, a terribly bad accent. "-charming fellows."

Cringe.

I actually laughed, though. Charming fellows? What century did she think it was over there? Sure you had your Hugh Grants, your down to earth and funny Cara Delevingne, the pleasing to the ear Emily Blunt. However- not everyone sounded like that. Or even acted like that. You had your chavs, your roadmen with their jeans hanging practically on their ankles, preaching about weed.

"Well I've met an American troublemaker already." That was when I poked Sid in the ribs, who rolled his eyes. "Very edgy."

"Let that go." Sid pouted, but his cheeks were flaming. I giggled, eventually he cracked a smile.

"You've got to be kidding me," Caroline scoffed, cocking her hip. Her fingers tightened around her beer bottle, whitening. "Of course he's with Elena."

"Caroline!" Bonnie sharply muttered, eyes frantically gesturing toward the poor Matt who was wistfully staring over at Elena- who was across the bridge, getting cosy with Stefan. I remembered this scene. They were talking about relationships and Matt.

His eyes were hard, and he looked so much like a kicked puppy that I wanted to hug him but I didn't want to push my boundaries. I was familiar with his character but in a case it would probably freak him out how much I knew, plus, he barely knew me. It was probably be weird if a random girl he just met threw herself around him dramatically crying how he deserved better.

"What?" The oblivious, jealous girl huffed. "It's so typical of her, they always look at her-"

"Right!" I interjected. "Who needs another drink? Matt? You want a drink?"

He could use one.

"Sure." There was barely any emotion in his voice. I grew slightly worried but quickly wandered off.

Okay. Beer. Beer. Where art thou? My eyes trailed the party, desperately searching for the alcohol.

A drunk guy stumbled over to me when I moved by the campfire and threw his arm around me, his breath stinking of beer. Hm. "Hey there- you're-" he hiccuped, eyes squinted and words slurring. "-new girl- I could-" belch. Nice. "-I could show you around- if you know what I- what I-"

I merely ducked, peeling his arm off me and letting it go. The instant I did he belched again before he collapsed on the ground, passing out flat on his face. My mouth twitched as I watched the guy lay unmoving, out cold. His eyes were closed, mouth open and drooling onto the grass.

He could barely stand let alone have a clumsy, sloppy rondevu with me in the woods.

Not that I would. He was okay looking, but I wasn't that type. I needed a connection to someone.

And I was far too sober to even allow my inhibitions to vanish- or let my morals suddenly change.

After a good few minutes of awkwardly standing around, I was ready to give up.

"Somebody help!"

Uh-oh.

I span around, ice raking down my neck when a familiar brunette and her brother dragged out a body. Matt cried out his sister's name and charged through the forming crowd of drunken teens who all paled at the sight of the girl. I could see through the heads of wondering people, her neck. Blood stained. She was unconscious.

Vicki Donovan.

"Aaaaaand it's begun." I muttered, then started to walk in the opposite direction. Sid had disappeared somewhere and my stomach clenched at the thought of what could have happened but I flipped out my phone, texting Karen to pick me up.

If HE got to him, there's nothing I can do.

Damon had officially made his presence known.


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, thank you all for the reviews :D**

 **As for the pairings, we shall see how her character clashes with all of them. I'm not even entirely certain on the romances yet but we will see how it goes. I'm making no promises though I prefer not to do love triangles (even though I have admittedly been in one myself, it's inevitable sometimes) just keep doing your ships! ^_^**

 **Update as promised!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Fresh Hell**

* * *

Day 6

"Blues! There you are."

I tilted my head up from my sketch book, only for Sid to flick my forehead. I flinched and did a double take, narrowing my eyes up at the mohawk styled boy. He placed his palms on my desk, arching over the table and towering over me, gaze peering down at me curiously.

So he's alive. Relief spread through me, knowing I hadn't lost a friend to the fickle Damon Salvatore.

My mouth twitched, I slammed the book shut when I caught him glancing at it. "Blues?"

"For your beautiful blue eyes." He complimented offhandedly, causing me to keep an eyebrow raised and a thin line on my lips. "Why won't you let me see what you drew?" He wiggled his brows. "Is it me? Naked? I wouldn't be mad if it was."

"Oh, absolutely." I said with such a sincerity that he actually paused, a tinge of pink in his cheeks. "I drew you like one of my french girls, laying in a very sultry, seductive position with melted chocolate over your- hey!"

He had snatched the book and flipped it open. The chair squeaked along the floor, legs almost pushing it over when I immediately stood up and reached for it. He easily kept it out of my reach, being taller than me helped. His eyes widened, flicking the pages over. "Wow, these are actually pretty decent."

With a quick glance at the librarian, I climbed onto the table, ripping the book from his fingers. "I didn't give you permission to put your dirty mitts on it."

Looking affronted, he scoffed. "Dirty? I'll have you know I'm very hygienic."

"You probably have mount washmore on your chair at home," I pointed out, though didn't actually judge him for that- because I also had a pile of clothes on that special dedicated chair.

He opened and closed his mouth before gradually rolling his eyes and holding up his hands in surrender. "Okay, you got me there." I hummed in satisfaction, putting my converse boot clad feet to the ground before Miss Hannigan noticed. "But seriously, you vanished last night after the Vicki thing, where did you go?"

I admit, maybe I left a little bit too early but I didn't want to stick around. Karen had come the moment I mentioned there was an attack in a text, she had been worried sick when I had my car accident, she wasn't about to hesitate and lose me. I knew it was probably selfish to take advantage of that- but self preservation was something I had to keep in mind whilst living in Mystic Falls.

"What about you?" I diverted the question, reflecting it back to him. I stared at him over the rim of my glasses, then elaborated when I saw the confused frown. "The moment of the attack you went poof."

"Am I a suspect?" He smirked, then put his hands in front of him, sighing dramatically. "Go ahead officer, I did it! I attacked Vicki Donovan."

Eyes snapped over from the loner's table, green eyes inquisitive and wide. I chuckled nervously, swatting him dismissively.

"Ignore him, he's kidding!" I grabbed my bag, put it over my shoulder and tightly gripped Sid's leather clad arm, dragging him away to a more secluded place. I glared up at the carefree grin, hissing at him. "Keep your voice down! Don't joke about that right now. Police are on high alert."

"Relax Princess." He reached over, ruffling my hair. I pushed him away, smoothing it back down with an irked scowl. "If you must know, then had to use the little boys room and may or may not have passed out. When I woke up- you were just gone and the cops were everywhere."

"I felt sick." I lied, it seemed like a thing that was going to become a habit around these people in this town. "I asked my mum to pick me up."

"Ah yes, your mummy," he grinned teasingly, I playfully punched him.

"If you're going to mock me, at least do it right." I said, he laughed. We walked to the exit, Sid held open the door for me and I inclined my head. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He tapped me on the shoulder and I craned my neck over. "You watching the comet later?"

"Uh…" I paused. Vicki mess. "I would rather not, I got homework later. Plus, after science class the principal wants me to meet with my buddy that's going to show me around the school and babysit me to make sure I don't faint." I scoffed.

"You are pretty dainty." His mouth formed into a crooked grin. "And small- ow!"

I smirked. He rolled his eyes and rubbed his sore shoulder. "You deserved that."

He walked me to my next class and we gave each other a friendly hug before separating. He jogged down the corridor, bag bouncing with every step. I walked into class, then froze when my eyes locked onto the hunching figure of Stefan Salvatore- sitting in one of the desks.

He was in my chemistry class.

Hm.

I walked further in, and after seeing that the only free seat was next to him- with an internal groan I forced my feet toward his direction. He looked up when I threw my bag onto the desk, his green gaze travelling to my face, I didn't bother to mask my slight irritation. "Hi."

He obviously heard the minor distaste in my voice and his eyebrows pulled together, knitting closely into a frown, evidently confused. _Fia you idiot, calm down_. He cleared his throat and edged his seat away so there was room for me to drag a chair. "Hey."

Quickly collecting myself, I sat at the stool and hoped to god I didn't cut myself or it would be ripper galore.

I adjusted in the stool, crossing one leg over the other, tucking my bag underneath the desk whilst avoiding the vampire's gaze. I had to avoid letting my pulse speed up too much, I had to keep calm. This was Stefan. This was the good vampire. I had to remember he wouldn't just viciously tear my head off for the heck of it much like Klaus or Damon would do.

Or casually rip out my damn heart like Elijah.

I didn't want my insides to pop into pieces like confetti, thank you.

"Good morning class!" A man with snow white hair up in a ponytail limped in, using his cane as support. On his round oval face were squared, black framed glasses. He wore a blue dress shirt and black jeans. The teacher approached his desk and picked up a piece of chalk, scribbling his name onto the blackboard. "You may call me Mr. Harris! I would say Lord Vader but apparently that's against the rules."

A few chuckles. He smiled at the response, then placed the chalk onto his desk, momentarily leaving his cane on the desk to pull off his jacket before placing both hands on it again. He allowed his chocolate eyes to scan us, crossing by me and Stefan before sitting on the surface of his table.

Mr. Harris was an interesting dude. He held the class's attention rather well and cracked light-hearted jokes, saying the first lesson would be an icebreaker to get to know our future partners- whom he said were permanent unless we had a legitimate reason and came to him at the end of the class.

To my ultimate nightmare-

He assigned _**us**_.

Stefan Salvatore and I were chemistry lab partners.

That wouldn't be so bad if it only stayed in class, but that extended to our homes. We would have to work together on paired projects outside of school. I wouldn't have minded so much, considering the years of knowledge stacked into his old brain- I could have used him to get my A grades.

But-

It would also mean- I would have to invite him in.

My house.

Hell no.

I tried to not let my feelings show on my face, but the vampire next to me had flicked his eyes in my direction. Green gaze scrutinising and inquisitive. He examined me and I screamed in my mind like a crazy person, almost wishing he could read my mind so he'd be freaked out.

 _Fuck me_. My thoughts grumbled at the idea of Stefan going to my house. Well, I wasn't about to go to his where fucking Damon Salvatore would be.

As hot as the guy was, I wanted to avoid the hell out of him right now. Easy on the eyes- but probably not when he threatened to tear out my throat. Behind the screen, sure, I would giggle at the villain because I always formed crushes on the antagonistic characters, especially the good looking ones. However, I _very_ much doubted I would like it **now**.

Having Damon as an ally would serve me well, the more I thought about it. But whilst he was so fickle and unpredictable this early, it would be wiser to hide my existence from him at this point in the timeline. Elena hadn't wormed her slippery, vice gripping fingers around his heart yet. She hadn't been a good influence yet. So, I would avoid him as much as I could early on.

The bell rang, and just as I was about to leave, Stefan stopped me. "Sofia."

 _Fantastic_. I whirled around, trying not to grip my bag strap tighter. "Yeah?"

He stared at me again, like I had caught him doing in class. He edged forward, standing up. My stomach clenched and unclenched, turning over when he approached me, a deep-set, thoughtful frown on his face. "Did I… did I do something? I feel like you're…" he forced an innocent chuckle. "It's like you're skittish around me, or something."

I knew he was watching carefully for my reaction, but I plastered a stoic expression on my face the best I could. I cleared my throat and shook my head. "I'm sorry if I came across that way, I'm just…" think of a lie, again. "It's just… well…"

Fuck, think of something!

But with his scorching eyes burning into my skull, it was hard to think. There was a slight awkward silence.

"I had a dream about you."

I think I caught both of us off guard.

Really? Sofia? That's the best you could come up with?

His eyes had widened a fraction, not quite expecting the response that came out of my mouth. He stared at me in bewilderment, eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. I coughed nervously and avoided his eyes, adjusting my glasses out of habit before explaining. "It's not a big deal, it was a random dream. I just felt a little awkward around you after. But I'm pretty relaxed about it now, we cool?"

"Uh- yeah, we're uh- cool."

Well.

This is awkward.

"I guess I'll need your number." My voice sliced through the heavy silence. I swallowed thickly. _At least he just thinks you're weird and perverted instead of knowing what he is_. His eyes were vigilant, so I quickly added, "for when we have to work on the project."

At the clarification, he relaxed, shoulders becoming less taut. Realisation clicking in his face. "Oh, right. Of course."

He dug into his pockets and I offered my hand, as well as a pen in the other. He took it with a nod and wrote his number down. That out of the way, I turned on my heel, rushing to leave after the odd exchange- wanting to _die_.

It's not awkward unless you treat it as such, a wise man once said. I calmed down. It's true.

"Oh, uh, Sofia?" He called again. My eye twitched but I spun around and gave him a questioning look as well as a polite smile, pausing in my escape. "Do you mind if we use your house when the time comes? My place is getting work done." He cleared his throat. "Redecorating."

Liar.

Regardless, I put on my best smile. "Absolutely. Later Stefan!"

With that, I turned and started walking, glancing down at my watch to check for the time. Originally, I was supposed to head to the nurse's yesterday, so I'm long overdue for a visit. Mr. Kalvin almost confronted me at the end of the class today about it but got sidetracked by the history teacher, so I managed to gave him the slip.

I sighed in resignation, hoping that this really would be a quick visit like he had said. Might as well get this over with, least of all I actually get into trouble. At least this way I get him off my back about it. Stopping in front of white door with a green cross and the words 'Nurse's Office' on it, I raised my fist and rapped my knuckles on its surface, my eyes resting on the nameplate right below the cross.

A voice from the inside responded to my knock almost immediately. "Enter."

The door slightly shrieked when I opened it, poking my head through. The nurse was a woman that looked to be in her mid-20s, blonde hair messily tied up in a bun and heavy hazel eyes scanning her watch as she chatted to the asian boy around my age to the side. One who was slightly taller than me by a few inches, with short raven black hair, glasses and dark eyes. The office wasn't all that large, a strange smell lingering in the air. A desk was pushed to the corner, its surface neat and tidy, though the bin beside it on the other hand was overflowing with crumpled papers and plastic containers. I also noticed half a dozen coffee-cups sitting on the table.

Sheez, wonder how much coffee she drank everyday.

"Hello there, what can I do for you today?"

"Erm…" I started hesitantly. The other occupant in the room wasn't looking at me, busy scribbling something onto a form. "Are you the nurse?"

"Why, yes. It says so on the door no? You can call me by name or just 'the nurse' like everyone else in the school."

"I'm Sofia." I coughed awkwardly. "Sofia Howlett. Mr. Kalvin told me to swing by for a check up."

"Wait, the new student?" The boy suddenly pipped up, turning around. "Mr. Kalvin's class?"

"Yep!" I firmly nodded, putting my hand on my bag strap.

"Suzuki, Benjamin Suzuki," he introduced before scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm… well, your buddy. Or at least I was."

"Mr. Kavlin only assigned Jackie to me for the day," I chuckled, thanking the stars I didn't have to sit through with her. "So, technically you're still my… buddy."

"Ah, well nice to meet you, although I wish it could've happened under much better circumstances- wait a minute, what are you doing here?"

I shrugged evasively, turning the question back to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Unfortunate case of pneumonia really," he sighed. "Really annoying, with all the violent coughing and feeling like your lungs are going to give out. There was this one time where some guy thought I was having an asthma attack and tried to shove an inhaler into my mouth. That was fun."

The nurse cut in before I could reply. "While it pains me to get in the way of a budding friendship, I'm going to interrupt this for a quick moment, whatever conversations you have you can carry on outside after we are done. For now, I do believe you should continue taking antibiotics- oh no, don't give me that look, or would you rather a relapse and be put on gentamicin instead? I assure you, that is much more unpleasant than the amoxicillin that you are taking right now, and here, you'll need to give this over to Mr. Denning so he knows that you are excused from P.E."

He looked downright distraught at that statement.

"Now if there's nothing else…" Benjamin shook his head. "Very well, I do believe you are done here. Now, Miss Howlett," the nurse pulled out a rather thick file as my _buddy_ disappeared into the hallway. "Retrograde amnesia, hmm, it says here that you are not on medications of any sorts… strange."

I had to wonder just what exactly did they put on my file. Her reactions didn't seem very encouraging.

"Unpromising Autobiographical Memory Interview test results, and turned down MRI, CG and EEG scans…" She glanced up at me. "You don't particularly seem very keen to go for treatments, why is that?"

"Because I'm fine." I averted my eyes to the window, growing irritated again to deal with this. "It's a mere bump on the head, I'm fine."

"You wouldn't be having amnesia if it's a mere bump on the head," she scolded sternly. "But I see you do not intend to take this seriously. I may not be a neurologist, so I'll try my best to explain what exactly is going on. Do you know what happens when someone gets a violent, 'bump' as you would call it, to the head?"

I wanted to leave, but knew Mr. Kalvin would be on my case. "Not entirely."

"It gets rattled like a baby rattle, with your brain as the ball being tossed about against the insides of your skull. Just like your skin, your brain can get a scar or a bruise because it has been jolted, and like any other scars and bruises, it heals with time. Have you got a scar anywhere on your body Miss Howlett?"

"Nope." I was pretty certain I didn't.

I didn't even have amnesia, it was a cover up. To have all of these people doting on me, walking around me carefully to make sure I didn't break- was annoying. I knew who I was.

At least. I think I do.

I wasn't crazy.

…. Was I?

"I see, to continue where I left off, scars harden Miss Howlett, even the ones on your brain, and your brain doesn't like that, it's an irritation, a risk. Picture the cells in your brain as thousands on uncoated wires in a room, toss a wrench into the room and something short circuits. That wrench is the scar, and the short circuit is a seizure, so yes Miss Howlett, it is a cause for concern. Hence the scans, they are to try and see if they can identify any anomalies in your brain structure. An early diagnosis may not be a prevention but it is better than no treatments at all, do you understand now Miss Howlett, or am I going to have to spell it all out for you?"

There was bile clawing up my throat. I sharply inhaled through my nose. "No. I get it."

"Good," she said, leaning back into her chair. "You don't have to be on epilepsy medication right away, not yet anyways, and there's been no cause for it right now. Still, I do recommend you take your doctor's advice, and go for that MRI or whatever scans they have been telling you about. For now however, just take care, and voice out right away if you are feeling unwell. Especially if you are feeling faint, or a momentary loss of awareness."

"Am I going to be taken out of P.E. too?"

"Oh no, you can still participate, but I'm going to have to ask Mr. Denning to keep an eye on you for the time being."

I nodded numbly. "Is there anything else?"

"No, you may go now, take care Sofia."

And so, I did.

Ben was waiting for me outside, arms crossed over his chest, back leaning against the lockers and head tilted up, staring at the ceiling.

"Hey." I greeted, bringing him out of his reverie.

"You look pale," he noted, straightening himself. "I guess... your visit didn't go very well?"

"As well as anyone with diagnosed retrograde amnesia." I shrugged.

"Wait," he started up in surprise. "You have amnesia?"

Might as well go along with it, considering it was my cover story. "Yeah. Car accident gave me a nasty bump on the skull." I tapped a finger on my temple. "Five months are gone."

He winced, standing straighter as I walked over to him, hugging my books. "Ouch."

"That's a watered down version of what I said." I cracked a joke, shuffling my feet in the corridor, walking alongside him.

"And I thought my pneumonia was bad, shit."

A small pang of guilt bit into my gut. He was genuinely ill- whilst I wasn't. Though being in a different universe gave me paused to grieve and angst. "It's not that bad, it's a little annoying having people treat you like a piece of China."

"That, I can relate." He chucked. "Wanted to ask earlier back in the office but erm, your accent, Australian?"

I felt myself twitch and resisted the scowl strongly move along my mouth, quickly putting up a mask with a strained smile. "British," then I smirked. "Your ear isn't very good for accents is it?"

"Well..." He stumbled, a hint of red creeping onto his face as he found a sudden fascination with the light fixtures above us. "Well, it all sounded roughly the same to me- wait no, I didn't mean it that way... oh hey, wasn't I supposed to show you around? Come on, we still have some time."

But I laughed, his sheepish embarrassment was endearing. "Yes, show me around."

* * *

 **I apologise if this chapter seemed more filler, but it will take a tad bit for her to get involved in the main plot. I didn't want to just ADD a character to spectate the main characters as I have noticed some people doing with OC's and SI's. I want to make her, her OWN person. With her OWN separate life.**

 **I would also really appreciate you keep dropping reviews, it means a lot and helps fuel the motivation to keep this continued ^_^**

 **Question of the day: What is your favourite character from Vampire Diaries(and/or)The Originals?**


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I decided to update early due to the positive feedback and I got this chapter out.**

 **Thank you all so much for the reviews! ^_^ Keep 'em coming!**

 **It also occurs to me, I accidentally gave Liz Forbes blue eyes instead of her _brown_. I don't know how I fucked that up, but I'll get around to editing that chapter so they are _correct_.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, my precious daisies. It's extra long today.**

* * *

 _Chapter 5: Another Day_

* * *

Day 7.

"You look busy."

"I am."

His shadow crawled over the words, so I looked up with a glare. He held up his hands and stepped back, looking at the computer screen. "What exactly are you doing?"

It was Wednesday afternoon I realised I was forgetting something vital.

Vampires had the sickening power to control people through their compelling ability. The power to glamour away any memories they wanted- replacing some with false ones so they didn't know they were being made lunch. I needed something. Some form of protection.

Vervain.

It was important, so here I was in the school library researching where to buy some online to be delivered to my house. The only issue is that it would take a few days to get here since I was ordering it from another town. Vervain hadn't grown in Mystic Falls since 1865.

I had glanced over my shoulder a few times, eyes firmly locked on the door to make sure Stefan never walked in. He didn't spend any time at the library so I was safe for the time being- however, I still kept an eye out just in case.

This was the time Damon would be playing with Caroline- where he valued compulsion. I aimed to get vervain just in case I accidentally bumped into him, considering I was friends with Matt- I was no doubt going to talk to Bonnie and such, possibly getting closer in their little circle they had going. As long as I was in Mystic Falls, I wasn't safe.

My eyes scanned the pages, considering getting some and putting it in a necklace for Karen as well. She had been a saint to me the past week, feeding me, sheltering me- I mean, I knew she was my adoptive mother and she thought she was supposed to do these things, but it was still nice. I was alone, but she made me feel- not so alone. Someone was trying to look out for me.

It was a good feeling.

Therefore, I ordered some for both me and her.

"Are you getting me flowers too?" He was next to my ear, leaning over me and staring at my purchases.

"My mother." I pushed him out of my proximity, narrowing my eyes at the boy. He rose an eyebrow, tapping on the screen with his finger.

"What about the other batch? Got a secret crush I don't know about?" His grin fuelled the heat simmering in my veins, I gritted my teeth and pushed him away again when he levelled his face with mine, wiggling his eyebrows.

"One if for me," I rolled my eyes at the look he sent me. "No, not like that. I want to decorate my room."

"What about your hayfever?"

Ah, well, shit.

I wouldn't know how I would react to vervain, I assumed the same as any other nature I wake up to in my home. Feeling like death with a blocked nose, itchy eyes and hogging the duvet on my face.

"As long as I take my pills, I'm fine." I waved a dismissive hand.

"Fair enough." He frowned. "So why vervain? You religious?"

I resisted the urge to snort and paused. Was it really so far fetched at this point? Was it possible a higher deity put me here and not some anomaly like a wormhole or something? You'd have to have some God like power to drag me into this place.

"Agnostic." I settled for. "Despite my aunt persistently drilling into my skull that I was going to hell if I didn't pray every day and go to mass."

"Unlucky." He chuckled. "My mom is the biggest atheist you could ever meet. Passed onto me."

I wondered if that would change if he knew about the supernatural elements that roamed Mystic Falls. Hell, there were ghosts at some point. I didn't want to be around when that happened- well, I didn't want to be around at all. I wanted to go back to the shit hole of my home in London, even if it smelled like sewage and cannabis. There was so much shit that was going to go down I almost wanted to tell Sid to leave, move country and soak himself with vervain.

I hadn't known him for long, but we got on well, and I didn't want to be alone.

His life could technically still be in danger, but at least I could stop him from being compelled.

I clicked on an extra order.

"What's the third one for?" He questioned.

"Experiment." I lied and stood up. I'd have to find something he would wear. A necklace wasn't the most manly thing- but maybe I could find something Sid-appropriate he would approve off.

"You going to the match later?" He wondered. "Cheer for the team?"

"Eh, American football- or, football in general doesn't interest me." I picked up my bag and signed off the computer. He shrugged and I took out my phone as we started to walk to the library exit.

Good luck with the game, I texted to Stefan.

It would probably confuse him. He did give that number purely for lab partner reasons only. But I might as well make an ally. If I became his friend under Damon's nose, not directly interacting with him- maybe it would make Stefan care about my pitiful little human life.

Meaning it could save my skin.

Thank you, was his response. Are you going to the rally?

No, I have things to do. I responded.

Then I'll see you in school.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something." I pocketed my phone and looked up at Sid with a curious look. He scratched the back of his neck and I waited, expression expectant.

"Are yooou… gonna ask me or stare at me?" I asked after a moment of silence and he nervously chuckled.

His tongue darted out, licking his mouth anxiously. Eyes almost pleading. "You wanna go to the stupid Founders Party coming up with me? My parents are forcing me to go and I'm gonna be bored alone."

I rose an eyebrow.

He quickly added, "as friends."

Well. That's a relief.

I didn't have to say yes.

The Salvatores, Bennett witch, tragedy magnet (Elena) and grumpy werewolf would be there. It wasn't the most pleasing thought, but Sid going alone to such an event filled with supernatural extravaganza- how could I say no to those begging, wide eyes?

This could be an opportunity to befriend Bonnie, too.

I really needed to speak to a witch about all this, and I didn't have the funding to travel all the way to New Orleans.

All in good time.

I felt like a manipulative, evil mastermind. Rubbing their hands and cackling with lightning and thunder flashing behind me.

"I guess I should find a dress, then." I let out a yelp of surprise when I was lifted off my feet, arms crushed to my sides. He laughed when I squeaked and set me back down, ruffling my hair. "Dude! Stop that! You don't know how hard it is to brush my hair in the morning."

He ignored my blatant burning glare, I smoothed the fluffy tresses against my head. A pang of knives twisted in my churning stomach, hands becoming clammy at the proposition I realised I just accepted.

I'm going to a vampire buffet. Fantastic.

Why did I say yes?

Was Sid a vampire? Did he have compelling eyes?

Or was I just a sucker for guys with mohawks?

I sighed, tightness building up in my chest from the piling nerves.

Do it for Bonnie.

Bonnie was definitely an ally I needed. I convinced her to care about me- another friend on the side that always wins.

"I'll give you two hours after school." He winked. "I know how you girls take ages getting ready."

"Not all of us." I grumbled, but knew that it was true in my case. He chortled and I pushed him.

* * *

Day 8.

It was the next day.

Mr. Tanner was dead- as I found out.

Matt was freaking out after he called the cops, and he texted me.

"Calm down."

I tapped my foot against the floor. At a light pressure on my shoulder, I glanced up at the boy next to me who sent me a reassuring smile and relaxed a little. I didn't excel at parties and would most likely be pressed to the back of the wall to avoid mingling with the people there. I wasn't shy, exactly, just slightly awkward at times and fucking scared because Damon would be there.

On the bright side, Liz would also be there.

He wouldn't try anything in front of this many people. No vampire was that stupid- unless they were new, probably.

"I'm calm." I lied, voice a little high pitched. I didn't hide my nerves well today, being a surplussed supply of them. Sid sent me a dubious glance, brows knitting together before melting into an expression of mirth, eyes twinkling. "What? I am!"

"You're like one of those wind up chattering teeth toys that jitter all of the place." He mumbled near my ear, his breath brushing up against my cheek. He spoke in a gentle, comforting tone. "I'm not gonna leave you in the middle of the party, Sofia."

My heart skipped a beat at how close he suddenly was. Heat radiated in waves from him and I blinked before I shook my head. I flattened my mouth into a thin, sombre line as we shuffled further in the queue of people. "I'm regretting my choice."

I nearly jumped when his hand smoothly travelled to my waistline, eyes darting up to his face to find him smirking at me. "If you promise not to ditch me, I promise to never touch your hair again."

Letting out a groan, I poked him in the ribs. He grunted and sent me a playful glare but didn't do anything. "Fine, fine, fine. Whatever. This better be worth it."

It took a while but we finally approached the front. My palms were clammy, so I quickly wiped off the forming sweat on the front of my bodycon dress, which was black and attracting a lot of heat from the sun.

"You look nice by the way." Sid muttered. I smiled at him in thanks. My dress clung to my body, highlighting my thin waist and complimenting my curving, wide hips. It was black with white lace around the sides, leading up to the collarbone. The length stopped my midthigh and my long wavy hair was up in a bun, strands falling either side of my face.

For shoes, however, I opted for simple dark flats that matched the colour of my dress. Because fuck heels. Fuck heels so much.

I nearly ducked behind Sid when my eyes met a supercilious gaze.

Ah. This bitch.

Carol Lockwood had light brown hair cut above her shoulders, with analytical, judging blue eyes that went over me quickly, then narrowed a fraction at Sid. Her husband had short dark hair along with brown eyes.

"Hello Sidney." She greeted politely, a practised smile adorning her face, her eyes flickered to me but she said nothing. "Your mother is inside."

"Thank you, Carol." He stiffly nodded, pulling me along by my waist. I craned my head over my shoulder at her and I scoffed. "Ignore her. I don't even know why my mom is friends with that woman."

"Popularity?" I guessed with a shrug, he mirrored the gesture.

"You want a drink?" He offered, leading me to the punch table. "Because I need one."

"Thought you'd never ask."

Sid went to the bathroom after standing with me for ten minutes, leaving me at the table by myself. I twirled my glass in a circular motion, watching the liquid swish around when a voice cut off my daydreaming.

"Sofia?" I turned around in confusion, but smiled when I saw Liz Forbes, clad in her officer uniform. She approached me, a crooked and friendly grin gliding along her mouth. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I feel great." I informed the cop, then took a sip of my glass before continuing. "They want to do a scan, make sure everything is running fine and nothing got too rattled up there."

"That's good to hear," she said. "Do watch yourself alright? Seems like there's been a lot going on for the past couple days."

"With the animal attacks, right?" I had to be careful to maintain the naive facade.

"I see it didn't take long for you to catch up with the current ongoing news," her lips twitched into a smile, though her eyes remain guarded. "But yes, the animal attacks."

"What animal are they saying it is?" I innocently asked, finger tracing the rim of my glass. My muscles slightly quivered at the thrill of this risk, pretending to be naive. One slip up and I could be suspected. But it also slightly amused me that I knew more than Liz did.

"No idea yet," she lied smoothly. If I hadn't already know about the truth I probably would've bought it easily.

"Hmm, that's a shame." I made sure to nod, then took a sip of my drink. My eyes caught Bonnie walking behind Liz and I put the glass down on the table, quickly swallowing. "If you would excuse me."

I moved closer to the Bennett witch.

When I tapped her shoulder, she quickly turned around. Her cat like, green eyes surveying me a quick moment until she recognised me. "Oh, hi! Matt's friend," she pointed at me, slightly unsure. "From the party in the woods, right?"

"Yeah!" I chirped. "I thought I'd say hi, you looked a little lonely over here."

She smiled. "Aw, thanks, that's sweet of you." She had a short look around the party. "Did you come here by yourself?"

"No, I'm a plus one." I admitted, throwing a thumb to the bathroom. "Waiting for my friend. What about you?"

"I was supposed to come here with someone but," she shrugged. "They kind of had a date, but I came anyway."

"That sucks." I pursed my mouth, tilting my head and forcing my features into something sympathetic, though it proved difficult at my unintentional pun. Heheh. Sucks.

"Oh it's fine," she laughed. "Less drama for me, just the way I like it."

Oooh. Ho. Ho. Hoooooooh. The irony.

"How are you finding the party so far?" I asked, briefly scanning around. I wonder if Elena is around.

"Want me to be honest?" She lightly chuckled, I nodded and we wandered along the wall. "Same as any other traditional party based on founding roots, minorly interesting, though most people came for the free food and drinks and to oogle the old vintage objects stuffed in dusty glass cases."

"So, why come?" I wondered, tilting my head.

"I don't know." She frowned, looking down at one of the antiques encased near us with a label in front of it. "I know enough of my family history based on my grams drilling it in my head, but I guess I didn't want to stay home alone either."

"At least you know your family history." I weakly chuckled. Seeing as I was orphaned in my old life as much as this one, it couldn't be a more true statement. At her look, I elaborated. "I'm adopted."

"Oh." Her expression turned softer, almost pitiful. I averted my eyes. "You don't know anything about your family? At all?"

"Not a name to a blood type." I gave a shrug, then glanced at the punch table, seeing Sid standing there whilst peering around at the party- probably for me. I turned back to her. "This is probably random and forward, but I don't have a lot of friends around here and you seem cool, do you want to hang out sometime?"

Bonnie blinked, taken aback by the invitation out of the blue. But she smiled, letting out a little laugh. "Oh, well, sure, I guess. Couldn't hurt."

"Great, here's my number." I unzipped my purse and whipped out my phone, she held out her own and we exchanged digits. "Fantastic." I muttered, pocketing the device before sending her a friendly salute. "Later."

"There you are!" Sid breathed when I skipped out of the shadows, reaching for my waist like a lifeline. His forehead was shiny, hands clammy. His eyes snapped down at me. "Where the hell did you go?"

"To the bathroom, mother." I grinned, he rolled his eyes. "Why so worried? You're acting like I'm a lamb who wandered off in the middle of a wolf den."

"It's more like I'm the lamb in the wolf den." He sighed, then brought the glass from the table to offer me one. "I hate these gatherings."

"Then why go?" I sipped from my punch. My nose twitched at the different taste and Sid winked at me, opening his coat slightly to reveal the flask.

Oh.

Clever, Sid. Clever.

"For my ma." He explained, pausing to incline his head at a passing bystander reaching for the punch bowl. "She's at the hospital, so she can't go. Insists I go and tell her about it."

I falter, glancing up at him from the corner of my eye. "Sorry to hear that."

"No permanent damage." He assured, probably seeing the awkward sympathy on my face. Never been great with comforting words. "She's pregnant with a UTI, they wanted to keep her overnight to make sure she was alright." He cringed. "Doesn't help this one inept nurse kept poking and prodding the wrong area for a cannula." He shook his head. "Fuck knows how she got her job."

"Who knows."

Maybe she compelled her way in.

Heh.

The rest of the evening was boring and plain dull. I wandered around the room getting more pissed from the booze Sid had sneaked in, surprisingly not seeing Caroline or Damon. My steps were slightly swaying, there was a euphoric, warm buzz engulfing my body and I felt giddy about life.

The room. Is. Twirling.

Heheh. Twirling. Twirling is a fun thing. It's a word too. A funny word. Twirrrrrrrllll-

Out of my own accord, I started to spin, as did the world. I held out my arms and waltzed around-

Steady hands caught me. I looked up, surroundings tilting softly from side to side. A pang of dread pierced through me then, the instant I locked eyes with narrowing brown. Oh. Oh dear.

Stabilising myself, I faced Liz and cleared my throat. "Just so you know. I am not drunk."

"Where did you get the alcohol?" She asked crossly.

"What's alcohol?" I asked innocently, looking around with wide eyes before focusing on her. "I am high on life, Miss Officer Liz."

Turned out, I was grounded.

Liz drove me home and gave me a warning, Karen wasn't happy and grounded me for a week, unfortunately. It was weird, considering it seemed like yesterday I was in England and I was one year away from being able to legally drink in the pub, it was socially acceptable among peers to share an alcoholic beverage at like 15-16 as long as you had adult supervision (or not, some did it in secrecy as usual) and I was 17 dammit. Now I had to wait four more fucking years.

I honestly didn't mind staying in, though. Being grounded wasn't the worst thing in the world- or this world. She was keeping me safe from vampires, without even realising it. And she was punishing me, a person that didn't mind staying indoors, by forcing me to stay indoors.

Oh, no. Looks like an entire week on the internet, books and drawing. Woe is me.

The next day after school I didn't go to the fundraiser. Not because I didn't want to get my hair wet- though that was also a part of it. Brushing my hair when it was wet was unpleasant. So many knots and tangles and it took ages to fix. Karen was at work so she would take at least three hours to come home, meaning I had some time to kill.

She said I was grounded, that I wasn't allowed out with friends and ideally as soon as I finished my day at school I was supposed to go straight home unless I wanted more time on my 'prison sentence' which I didn't honestly care about. The less I was involved in vampire drama, the better.

I was going to a store.

Not just any store- a witch store.

Okay, I didn't outright know it was legit. But the more research I put into finding a grimoire about alternate time dimensional jumping, the more I can rule out the falsities and get home. Believe me, whilst it was semi-cool I was here, it was also terrifying that I couldn't get back and that I was actually here. I just couldn't get over it.

It was just something to get over, either.

I was in a different world, for Christ sake. I was in a TV SERIES and that wasn't something of the norm.

I had too many questions swarming my brain. I couldn't just sit still, I couldn't just live my life. I lost a few years in it, I didn't belong here. This wasn't even my time. Granted, it wasn't that much of a jump, if it was into Klaus's time then I would be incredibly pissed off and petrified. The only way back then would probably be the powerful witch- I couldn't remember her name.

That was another thing. I didn't remember every detail from the show. I knew the basics. I knew most of the plot- but some of the things were blurred. I wasn't surprised, maybe I really did have damage to the head, maybe I should go for those MRI scans. Was there something knocked out of place? Maybe I had internal bleeding and didn't even know.

Like that teacher said, there could be something seriously wrong and I could have no clue.

On the other hand…

I had another golden theory I was playing around with in my mind.

There were pictures of me in this life that I didn't remember taking.

Meaning I had a life here. One I didn't know.

Was I not… me?

Did I… somehow swap with a different version of me?

I gripped my temples, lacing my fingers through my hair and letting out a harsh exhale. At this point, the only way to know would be to dive into bundles of grimoires, separating the bullshit from the potential truth.

"We're here." The gruff voice of the cab driver snapped me out of my reverie and I leaned forward, clumsily slapping the dollars onto his gloved hand. He counted the money and nodded his head. The door thudded behind me when I got out, tires squealing as he drove off.

The shop looked old, but just like on the website I visited. A worn building, bricked walls, windows covered by dusty glass and draped cloth from the other side. One of them had a slight tear, loose threads wavering in the sunlight. I approached the door, and the wood appeared elderly, cracked blue paint.

I peaked through the glass, sneaking a glance through the blinds on the other side. Dim lighting was inside, as well as a shadow moving around, which froze when I looked in. I twisted the knob, stepping through the threshold. A bell rang, activated from me opening the entrance.

The shop was covered in an odd scent, warmth quickly engulfed my face. The floorboards were hollow and a little squeaky in certain places I stepped. It was eerily quiet, filled with a thick atmosphere. The figure I saw before was gone and it seemed I was the only one here. The entire shop had odd trinkets hanging from the sides, things in jars covering the shelves, a weird voodoo doll by the front desk and I wondered briefly if this was a legit place.

Candles were lit in the store, all around. From the shelves, to the desks, to the flanks of the entrance door. I had to wonder about the fire hazard.

On the side, I saw books, which was my main goal, so I set out toward them. They were all adorned with fancy designs along the spine. But I looked at the plain one. It stood out, just sitting there. Simple. Leather bound packed with pages, some of them were sticking out. I had a few thoughts directing me to it. The others were overpriced, whilst this one wasn't. A sheet of dust had collected onto it.

Just as my fingers brushed the cover, there was a voice that had me reeling backwards from shock. "How may I help you?"

I nearly knocked over a vase in my startled state, but quickly fumbled with it, eyes wide. I barely stopped it from clattering to the floor and let out a breath of air. "Yes, hi, um-" I carefully placed it back where it belonged, held out my hands around it as if the vase was about to spring out and turned to her, chuckling nervously. "I uh…. How do I ask this…"

The appearance of a rather tall lady almost took me off guard. She was petite in weight, broad shouldered and had slanted brown eyes with interesting red dreadlocks that reached to her ethereal thin waist. Permanent seeming thin lips and clad entirely in a yellow and orange rose printed dress, odd tilted summer hat and black combat boots. Probably early to mid forties. She had crows feet, with a few lines embellishing her face.

"Anythin' you break or touch, you buy." She had a husky southern voice, croaked even. Judging by the deep octave, I assumed she was a heavy smoker. "I'm Adelaide, just ask if you wanna buy somethin' but don't expect me to give no dog and pony show bout them salem trinkets. That's a different kettle of fish."

At first I blinked at her way of phrasing but I just nodded, she grunted and walked over to her desk, I glanced over the woman to find her casually watching me whilst munching on sunflower seeds. I blinked but shook my head and turned back to the books. "What's this book?"

"It's a book. It's got pages. Information." She curtly stated. I controlled myself from snapping.

"Yes… but what sort of information?"

"Grimoire." She elaborated, then spat out something to the bin next to her. My mouth thinned. She quirked an eyebrow. "Is one of them witch cookbooks. Wouldn't buy that one though, it's a white elephant to you."

A… white elephant?

What...

"Do you have anything on…" I paused, lips tightening. I tried to think of a way to phrase the question. Her features were becoming impatient. "Teleportation?"

"Why?" She smirked. "Plannin' on runnin' away somewhere?" I didn't get a chance to answer her, for she just threw a thumb in the direction of the bookshelves. "Should be in there, somewhere. Take a gander."

"What about different dimensions?"

She chewed on a new seed, rolling it under her tongue as she gave me a look. "Kid, this ain't a science store or a library- you want books, go there. Ya want magical shit, look around 'ere. Oth'wise yer in the wrong place."

Grumbling, I passed her and went to the book area- or grimoire area. I searched through, scanning and scanning before I piled up the books I wanted, bringing them to the counter. I also paused along the way to pick up the plain book by the front in between the other fancy books. She hesitated when she saw that book in my collection and snorted.

"Well I'll be damned." She held up the book, staring at me. "Yer sure ya want this, kid? Didn't pick it up by mistake?"

"Touched it. Buying it." I joked. She didn't crack a smile, I awkwardly cleared my throat and put my hand on the counter, tapping a finger. "Yeah, I want it."

"Hm." She thoughtfully pulled her eyes off me to the book, before putting it in the bag. "Usually people skip right by it. Peoples usually go for them fancy ones. Judgin' by the sum ya got there, ya can afford it, so it's a mystery."

"I thought it's interesting." I innocently shrugged. In truth, it looked really old and almost worn out. The others were too new. Too polished. I had a peak inside this one when she wasn't looking at me, it had legit looking witch cookbook stuff inside. Had latin, different kinds of sprawls like what I saw in Bonnie's family grimoire.

"There." She packed my stuff, then handed it over and put away my cash in her register. "Good doing business with 'cha! Try not to put the cat among the pigeons, now."

She's weird.

She said weird phrases.

I like her.

"Goodbye Adelaide." I smiled, turning around and leaving.

Time to read.

I glanced at the books.

A lot.

* * *

 **So much shipping. Shipping is everywhere XD**

Apologies if it's a bit slow, but if it was me personally then I would avoid that main drama xD Thank you all for being supportive, I really appreciate it ^_^

See you next chap ;)

Question of the day: Your favourite season of TVD?


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, so I thought I would update a bit early. Hope you guys enjoy! Thank you for the reviews again! :D Makes me all warm and fuzzy to read your praise and feedback.**

* * *

 _Chapter 6: Animal Unleashed_

* * *

Day 10.

* * *

The cuckoo bird was free.

In other words, it was shark week- or, well, vampire week.

That day was like a trigger. Sid told me about the car wash, texting me about how a car randomly flayed, spontaneously blazing before vanishing. That one text twisted my stomach, but I lied to Sid and called him ridiculous- that something like that sort of fire wouldn't just die down on its own so quickly. He was quick to defend himself, and I was treating the situation like he was the one watching too many TV shows and reading too many comic books- oh how that put a bitter, wry smile on my mouth.

Images of the party flickered through my brain. I had left knowing Stefan would have caught Damon feasting on Caroline's poor neck and jumped out pointing his finger and laughing evilly like a Disney villain, yelling the classic ' _ **FOOL**_ '.

Well, not _literally_ , but it was a lot more fun that way in my head, and curved the corners of my lips in mild amusement. However, when I knew it would appeared. This event gave me pause and made me turn on the TV in the corner of my room, then I had witnessed Logan Fell give the telltale events of a drug deal gone wrong in the middle of some cemetery in town, ending in tragic flames.

Logan Fell would be a vampire, and Vicki Donovan would also be turned.

I had to admit, turning an _addict_? Savage, Damon. Savage.

I had to make sure to steer very clear and be incredibly, almost stupidly careful. It was a vampire buffet week, I didn't want to be the sides.

 _No sirree._

I didn't want to be apart of this town, not really. All I wanted was to go home back to Soho, curl up next to that fireplace in my grandmother's rocking chair and either paint or read a good book. I would bathe in the solitude listening to some jazz which would calm my nerves and probably send me to sleep. Maybe I would've called up my mother and pay her a visit. I had a life I needed to get back to, I couldn't- wouldn't get involved in vampire drama.

Because I could _die_.

I liked living.

One of the reasons I could sort of understand Katherine, I tried to understand most people's actions, even if I was incredibly angry with them, was because we both wanted that. To live. Self-preservation seemed important to both of us, I just didn't have the balls to be as much of a bitch as she went about it-

I received a text.

Not from Matt, he didn't know me enough to send a panicked text about how his sister was going through some crazy, traumatic shit right now. No, I didn't blame him for not keeping me informed. I should have felt a little bad, seeing as I was slightly using him as a tool. If I kept tabs on him, kept tabs on how he was doing and what was going on in his life, I would know from a distance what place to avoid and when.

It was a selfish action, but it was saving my life.

However, the slight guilt instantly cleared the moment I opened the door and saw a man standing there. Karen was out at work and I didn't know him. He was a stranger- I was a little cautious and probably looked stupid in my polar bear pyjamas, hair wild and messy like I had just been dragged through a hedge, with hooded, sleepy eyes. But I didn't care. My appearance was the least of my worries.

He presented a package and asked my name, and then for me to sign before swiftly leaving and bidding me goodbye.

When I opened the box, a wide smile stretched from ear to ear.

Vervain.

 _Perfect_.

I went into Karen's room first, mixing the substance carefully with her perfume. Next, I went through her jewelry and modified it the best I could without it seeming touched at all. Slowly, I scanned through my mental checklist, putting it in my own perfume as well as the gift I bought Sidney.

Despite the good morals whispering and nudging at me to help as many people as I could, I wasn't rich. Vervain was surprisingly expensive because it was so rare around these parts (thank you _Damon_ ) and I couldn't do the same for everyone. The only people I could help and put in my priority list was Sid, Karen and of course- me.

I wasn't a hero.

I wasn't going to act like it.

A _ping_ caught my attention.

Wandering over to the mirror on the wall, I lifted my hair, sliding the black scrunchie from my wrist so I could tie it up, before taking my simple silver locket and clasping the lock. Satisfied with it and how I looked, my hand reached out to the phone that buzzed on my desk.

 _Mohawk_ popped up on the screen, I stared at the text. _Shopping_?

What?

* * *

I waited, tapping my foot against the floor, puffing my cheeks when I saw the time.

He was late.

By twenty minutes.

After sauntering around casually left and right over the park, setting myself on the bench, I waited patiently for him. I would've been a hypocrite to judge him for not being punctual, seeing as how that was one of the untalented things I had not yet mastered. Still, I lazily laid my body across the curving, wooden bench and looked around. The stores were nearby, we weren't going to a shopping mall to my disappointment. I wanted to see if American malls were as big as they were advertised on media.

Another glance at my wrist, sunlight glinting on the reflective glass of my watch.

I sighed, closing my eyes.

We were going to a thrift shop, though. I think they were the equivalents to flea markets or charity shops from my home. I wondered if my mother noticed me missing. Did time not move there, when I was here? Or was it still ticking by? Were missing person posters printed and stapled to every shop my mother could reach? Was the Sofia from this time in my life, whilst I was in hers?

So many questions.

So little answers.

More questions piled on the mass of swarming theories that formed and linked in my mind. A throbbing headache bounced around, making me groan.

A shadow cast over my face.

"What are you _doing_?"

My eyes snapped open, to find an upside down boy with a deepening crease folding between his eyebrows peering down at me. From this angle I could see up his nostrils, and was tempted to reach up and yank one out for keeping me waiting. Instead, I grunted and used the bench arm rest to pull me up, locks falling to my shoulders.

"You're late." I noted dryly, but gave him a friendly smile regardless. He smoothly ran his hand over the gorgeous style of art that was his hair.

"I had to make sure I was perfect." He complained in a rather whiny tone, then yelped as my fist connected with his shoulder. "Ow! What the hell-"

"If you're done complaining, _Princess_ ," I waved my hand dismissively and swung my legs off the seat, standing up and brushing by the vain boy. "We have to shop for this stupid-"

"Halloween is a fun holiday." He jumped to defence.

"I'm not saying _Halloween_ is a bad holiday." We crossed the road, I shoved my hands in my pockets and tilted my head over to the taller lad, gnawing on my cheek before speaking. "This party at school is the thing I'm complaining about."

"You haven't even been to it yet!" To my bemusement, there was a slight girly shriek in his exclamation. I quirked an eyebrow. I sobered up quickly at the thought of Vicki at the school. He was in danger if he went.

"And I'm not going to." His jaw went slack at my statement, when we safely made it over the crossing, he had grabbed my shoulders and slightly shook me.

"Why the hell not?" He demanded, actually looking offended. Like I had personally insulted him. Apparently Halloween was his favourite holiday, October being his favourite month too.

I couldn't answer him, mainly because if I said _vampires will be there to SUCK YOUR BLOOD_ he would pause, then run away yelling about a crazy woman, possibly have me committed. I stopped and had considered the thought that maybe he knew about vampires since he was part of the founding families apparently but also remembered so was Caroline, and the Gilbert's, and Tyler- the kids of the founding families seemed to have no idea.

But he was still waiting on an answer. "Well?"

The only logical response I could give him seemed insane. So I grabbed his arm and peeled it off me, dragging him silently to the nearby shop with fantasy costumes. He called my name, but I refused to answer and even hauled him to the back of the store- where it was the lingerie, sexy bedroom wear.

Sid's eyes darted around, a slightly smug smirk dressing his lips. "If this is your attempt to seduce me with kinky role play ideas I'm all for-"

He grunted the second my fingers roughly poked his ribs in a swift attack, and he was unwillingly shut up. I craned my head, eyes scanning the store before picking up a pirate hat, dumping it onto my head. "What'cha think?"

"Are you a pirate?" He asked, putting a hand onto the shelf next to us, edging a little too closely. Heat radiated off him in waves, eyes twinkling as a boyish grin slid onto his face. I stared, unimpressed. "Because let me tell you, Sofia. You have a nice _booty_."

What an idiot.

I resisted the urge to slap him, but had to hide a smile and snorted. "That was awful."

"But you're smiling." He snickered when I pushed him away dismissively, then his expression changed a little, melting into something more serious. "You're not good at the whole distraction thing you're _trying_ to pull." I rolled my eyes, groaning under my breath. "Why won't you go?"

"Parties aren't my thing." Not a lie, just not the truth.

He eyed me. "There's something else."

Why was he so good at reading people?

"Hey Sid." I suddenly perked up when something popped into my mind. He tilted his head a little, crossing his leather clad arms over his chest. I dug into my shoulder bag, then whipped out a box. His eyebrows pushed up, confused. "I got this for you."

"Trying to buy my affections?" He asked, expression masked and eyes unreadable when they surveyed me, but I detected an undertone of bemusement. We hadn't been friends for long, and it was weird to give him a present this early.

"Maybe." A coy smile played at my lips. He stared at me, my smile vanished and I pushed the box to his arms, forcing him to take it. "Don't overthink it. You're a friend. I had this laying around, didn't want it but didn't want to waste it."

He hesitated, but opened the lid. His eyes widened when he saw the gift and he plucked the leather bracelet, which had a black skull charm attached to it. I smiled proudly at my work, mind flashing back to my room where I embroidered the vervain _inside_ of the leather and stitched it back up. Sid wouldn't suspect a thing.

I'm a genius.

"Again, don't read too much into this." I repeated, not wanting him to think I liked him other than a platonic way. "I'm not interested in that sort of thing, hell- I'm gay, so I'm not your type anyway." Not really, I was _bi_ but if he thought I was a lesbian his hopes would be gone and he'd move on if he developed some sort of crush on me. I started to fidget on the spot when he stared at me and I fiddled with my hair. "I mean, I hope you like the gift- I know it's not much, but I like spoiling my friends when I can, and I don't have a lot of them. Actually, you're one of the rare people I talk to around here, the only- I'm sorry, _fuck_ I don't mean to guilt trip you- I mean, dammit. Sorry if you don't like it. You don't have to wear it, but it'd be cool if you did, you know? Sorry, I don't want to come off as a stalker or anything because we haven't known each other long- not that you're not attractiv- I mean, not that -"

Sid sliced through my nervous rambling.

He embraced me, patting my head. I stilled, blinking at the close proximity and inhaling the scent that surrounded my senses. Leather, smoke and coffee. "Dude. _Breathe_. I get it."

I breathed a sigh of relief, I could be an awkward talkative bundle of mess sometimes. "Good."

"You're a special little snowflake when you're nervous aren't you?" He bared a shark grin when I looked up at him in his arms, a sheepish flush spreading over my skin. Sid barked a laugh and ruffled my head- earning a slap on the arm. "So, just so you know, if you get a girlfriend and happen to make out with her can you video tape it and-"

That earned him a punch.

Regardless, he pissed himself laughing.

An hour later, after combing through shop after shop, Sid and I took a seat over by the park again, around the fountain. I watched as the birds lingered and tilted their heads up at me, mainly at the sandwich I was eating. "What are you going as?"

His repetitive interrogation was getting old. "I told you, I'm not going."

"Come _on_." He nudged me, eyes wide in their puppy dog pleading. "Pleaseee?"

"This constant dependence on dragging me to parties you don't want to go alone to is getting tiresome." He ignored the edge to my voice and ripped off a piece of his bread, sprinkling crumbs to the little avian creatures that hopped over.

"Why do you keep avoiding the question?"

"I'm not." My spine stiffened, I averted my gaze.

"Yes, you are."

"What's it to you?" I turned it around on him, swivelling my head to his direction with a narrow of my eyes. "Why the interrogation? I don't have an agenda. Parties aren't my thing, accept it and move on."

"You want to know why?" He clenched his jaw, a vein throbbing in his temple. He raked a hand through his hair. "I'm an incredibly curious individual and I can't handle it when people lie to me- and trust me." His gaze met mine, a fire crackling in those orbs. "I know when people are lying."

"You're nosy." I coolly brushed off. "It's not your business."

"It is when you're scared."

I paused, slowly leaning back. There was a hitch in my breath, then a careful, "why would you think that?"

"Like I've said before," he leaned forward, resting his arm lazily on the back of the bench. His breath was warm, and had the distinct odour of ham and smoke. An odd combination, but I was distracted by his pushy nature- his words. He was onto me. "I'm extremely good at reading people."

I avoided looking into his calculating eyes and briskly stood, snatching my bag. "I have to go."

"You're hiding something, Fia." He pointed out, following me easily. Long legs smoothly keeping up with my short and hurrying strides. _Why does he have to be tall?_

"Piss off." I finally snapped. Then looked at the dirt on my shoe, feeling a pang of guilt for raising my voice. I huffed, sharply inhaling through my nose before looking up at him. He was peering down at me with piercing, invasive gaze. "Just…" my voice softened, deep scowl melting into concern. "Just don't go tonight."

"Why?" He pressed.

"Sid." My lips pressed together with uncertainty. I faltered, then put a reassuring hand on his arm to grab his attention. He blinked, taken aback by how serious and sincere my tone was. "Please. I need you to trust me."

We looked at each other for a long time, his gaze scorching. Until- "fine. But eventually, you're going to have to answer me."

I took a breath. "I know."

He seemed satisfied with that, then a little disheartened and irritated. "What am I supposed to do now then? If not go to the party? I already spent money on-"

"Come to my place." I blurted. He raised his head, frowned and quirked a curious eyebrow.

"Are you sure you're gay-"

I slapped his head. "I'll text you the details."

He walked home with bruises, I walked home with a grim line forming on my face.

Sid was pressing too much. He knew something was up. He didn't care he was being blunt and nosy and pushy- he wanted to know. And he seemed like a determined, unstoppable force when he wanted something.

I just hoped he would come to mine tonight.

* * *

 _ **I promise, she starts to get more involved soon.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**NEW EARLY UPDATE COZ WHY NOT BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS XD**_

 _ **Enjoy *heartsign***_

* * *

 _Chapter 7: Rise_

* * *

Day 11.

* * *

"Why am I here?"

He ignored my question, pushing his hands onto my shoulders to force me into a seat. I gritted my teeth, squinting up at the secretive boy. Sid merely went up to the bar and left me here to wait. Growling under my breath, I drummed my nails against the table. My nose sharply puffed air, exhaling in my irritation and I eventually rested my forehead on the cool wooden surface.

Last night was nice. Probably not the loud, metal music blasting party where people thrashed in a demonic pit and lunged their heads back and forth that Sid wanted, but we had a night of video games (he brought over his xbox in a backpack, bless his soul and rain gold upon him) which I really needed. He slept on the same bed but I didn't give a shit about that. We were sleeping, not messing around. I wasn't bashful about sharing a bed with a boy, seeing as most of my mates back home were guys and we had common sleepovers.

The games were a good distraction. As well as the horror movie he demanded.

Karen was nice enough to put some popcorn in for us, and watched the film with us in the living room. Turned out, Sid adored popcorn. The way his eyes glistened the instant he targeted the kernel reminded me of a child walking into Santa's workshop- or me shuffling excitedly into my first ComicCon in London by the O2 centre.

That was a fun time.

My chair creaked when I adjusted, a little nervous and searched around the Mystic Grill. Music, people joyfully swinging their bodies in a way I dared to call it dancing. Really it was mere shuffling, swaying their arms, occasional bouncing of their bodies. Some moved awkwardly.

A party?

What…?

I felt like I was forgetting something.

Then I saw it.

At first I didn't even react. Then I stared, eyes hard. My spine instinctively stiffened, a cold whisper sending a shudder that rattled my bones. Bile dragged claws up my throat which I forced back down, jaw snapping shut and clenching tightly. My hands curled on the table surface and I wished- I hoped and I willed that I was seeing things.

But I wasn't.

Damon.

He was every bit as good looking as he was on the big screen and it was so surreal to see him casually saunter into the bar like he owned the place, chin high with radiating confidence. Clad entirely black with exceedingly captivating, icy eyes which were deep pools of blue. They flickered down and around boredly, examining his surroundings. Jet black hair fell around his ears, so soft and shiny- luscious even. He looked almost angelic with an oddly old fashioned beauty. His features looked sculpted by Greek Gods, a handsome chiseled chin. Porcelain skin. Too perfect.

It filled me with rage, envy and blended into a mix of chilling fear.

Why the fuck did everyone in this show look photoshopped?

I had to leave.

I stood, figuring I would text Sid and tell him to meet me outside, get us away. Someone, a person clumsily doing some sort of awkward robotic movement instead of a dance (seriously, white people dancing) and harshly collided into me. They pushed me into a solid wall.

It wasn't a wall.

I realised with dread what it truly was, as I trailed the shining black leather that my hand clutched onto, and slowly looked up.

His gaze were even more striking up close.

Seeing the vampire's hypnotising, chilling eyes meet mine as he offhandedly peeled me off him like I was a pesky fly put a quiver in my legs. My gut flipped uncomfortably and I suppressed the strong urge to gawk at the man who looked so good it was genuinely cruel.

"Excuse me." I brushed by and ducked my head hastily so I didn't grab his attention anymore than I already had, not bothering to say more. I couldn't. I had to grab Sid- I needed to leave-

He didn't go after me. He didn't even glance when I left. He didn't suspect me, and why would he? He most likely assumed I gaped in awe at his looks rather than in fear. His abundant disinterest in some random human girl that fell into his arms distracted him from the clammy palms that quickly grew, as well as my blanching skin. His eyes had swept over me, apathetic- he flashed that near snarky, friendly and charismatic smirk but wasn't even paying attention for more than three seconds and moved on to the bar.

Good.

When I reached the exit, I realised I was shaking. I gripped my heart, which wouldn't stop beating. I was suddenly very much aware of all my senses.

Holy shit.

If I thought meeting Stefan was hard, this knocked the air out of me.

Of course I was slightly skittish around the younger brother, the feeling of seeing someone on screen and knowing them did that, but I knew he wouldn't hurt me. Not on purpose anyway- and not now. But Damon? Season 1 Damon at least- was riddled with apathy for human life. He'd toy with us, feed from us, then chuck us to the side when he was finished. Like we were objects. He downright abused Caroline. As much as I didn't particularly like the season 1 girl, it didn't mean I cheered him on for it.

There were moments of emotion I saw in his eyes on the screen, split seconds and subtle actions and movements and looks he did that proved he was good immensely deep down. Which had grown and popped out more as the show progressed- but only because of Elena.

Unless closely related and in love with you, season 1 Damon wouldn't give a flying fuck if my neck was snapped.

My hand drifted up to my neck, wavering with my heavy breaths. I was so fragile near them. It was too easy to kill me. One flick, one twist of his wrist- and I was dead so effortlessly.

Damon, was not to be messed with.

And I could only dread the Originals appearance.

"Fuck me." I groaned to myself at the mere thought but let a gentle smirk twitch, knowing that my tutor back home would chastise me and slap me on the back of the head for cursing so much these days.

I missed her.

I missed everyone.

My hand pinched the bridge of my nose.

Why me?

Why was I here-

I stopped myself, not wanting to dwell on the brooding thoughts. A frown formed on my face. Your inner Stefan is showing, Sofia.

"Sofia?"

Huh?

Removing my hand from my face, I looked up and met the gaze of the other Salvatore. He stood there was his hands in his pockets, that broad forehead of his knitting in gentle concern when he saw me swimming in my despair. I felt tired now, and still a little angry. My foot kicked the rock in front of me, scuffing my shoe along the pavement. I leaned back on the wall with a sigh.

"Hi Stefan."

Even saying his name was weird.

Drama. I loved watching it on the screen sometimes, then grew bored of a certain type. Elena grew tedious so I switched to different shows. Like Game of Thrones. The Walking Dead. The 100. Among other things. Anime was involved, video games had always been in my life.

I would have to save up, buy another console or gaming PC.

Gaming PC's were expensive though.

Realising I was daydreaming, that his mouth moved and his expression still formed something akin to worry, a little more so when I failed to answer. "Uh- pardon?"

"I asked if you're okay." He repeated his earlier words. I slowly breathed in, craned my head back and stared at the sky. Peaceful stars glittered and winked at me. I suddenly grew a little wistful, wanting the telescope I owned back home, but didn't have here. "Sofia?"

At the soft nudge of my name, I shook my head. "Just… homesick."

Not a lie. Not a truth.

Seemed I would be doing a lot of this.

He hesitated, and nodded his head as if he understood. I supposed he did, in a way. He was old, his home didn't exist anymore. His father was abusive, but the surroundings of his beautiful, huge house must have been magnificent. Stunning, even. It must be surreal for him as well, to watch everything around him grow and break down, a cycle repeated. To observe from afar as people withered and died, passing on their traits to children and then them to their grandkids. As bad as that would be, I'd imagine it was also cool to sit back and see what humanity came up with.

It was weird to know someone like this, and have them not know anything about you.

I let out a sigh when he was still looking, his pretty eyes were prying. "I'm fine, Stefanie."

His eyebrows lifted and his lips curved, raising his head. "Stefanie?"

I made a split second decision, choosing my ally.

"Don't you know?" I smiled playfully, teeth baring through my lips like a shark. "Every friend gets a nickname."

He seemed to pause at this news, startled. I nearly slapped myself but he spoke before I could awkwardly interject. You don't know each other that well. You've met like three or two times woman. "Friends?"

"Seeing as we are chemistry partners, I find it fitting that we are. If you'd like to be." I awkwardly gestured, then rolled my eyes at his surprised stare. "For fuck sake, I'm not proposing."

His lips twitched at my slightly brash tone, seeming to find something amusing. "Well, it is my birthday. It would be a greatly timed present."

…

Did he just… joke?

It was odd.

He didn't seem the type. Always brooding. Always that shadow underneath his brow from all that frowning.

I blinked a few times at him, refraining from laughing at my inside joke. "Well then. Happy birthday, old man."

There was a short bark of laughter and his head bowed for a moment to look at the floor before returning his glance to me, his pearl white teeth revealed in a genuine smile, a glint in the amalgamated depths of dark green. "Thank you."

"I should have gotten you hair gel. You kinda remind me of a porcupine every time I bump into you with your spiked hair." I added, making sure a coy smile was plastered. His smile didn't end, pleasant and something warm like a small sort of affection in his gaze. I was taken aback.

He needed to smile more.

"I think you'll like a friend of mine," he started, then inclined his head to the door. "She's probably inside though, would you like to join us?"

For a second, I had to still. My thoughts raced.

Friend?

Who-

It clicked.

Lexi.

With dread, I sharply inhaled without meaning to and my breath hitched. I knew how much the old vampire meant to Stefan. It was Damon's selfish and impulsive actions that he lost a friend, going further and further into the deep end until he meets Klaus- where he just gets drowned in it.

Lexi dies.

Urges. Self-preservation. Confliction. They all shoot through my body like an electrified arrow and my spine snaps up straight, suddenly wide awake and alert. I have to do something.

I was torn. I didn't want to be a hero. I was too cowardice. I couldn't face Damon-

Lexi didn't deserve to die. I liked her. She was a very brief, passing character that helped Stefan through some tough crap. Their friendship reminded me of my friend back home, Graham. We got on like two peas in a pod. Some people thought us romantic and leading toward that, but no. We were purely platonic, we were twin souls. He had a fiancee and I had a boyfriend for a while. My boyfriend didn't turn out so well, and Graham comforted me through the breakup. He was my rock. My older brother. He was protective of me, and hauled me out of my room when I forgot to be social with him.

As fleeting as her character was, I genuinely liked her.

"Sure." I blurted, before I could change my mind.

Idiot.

Everything I was against, everything I decided to divert from- to not be involved was spinning right around and slapping me in the face as Stefan walked me back inside. A familiar face soon appeared, my air fell out of my lungs the moment I saw her.

She had a heart shaped face, with full cheeks and an olive toned skin. Taller than me and bright blonde hair finely styled to a sleek river below her shoulder blades. Her dark eyes flickered to me. She seemed taken aback by my presence next to Stefan. Believe me, I don't know what I'm doing either, girl.

"Stefan," her tone was stern with the undertone of playful to let him know she was kidding around, but there was an unreadable glint was in her eyes. A forced smile. "You're not kidnapping all the girls in Mystic Falls, are you?"

"Lexi, this is Sofia. She's my chemistry partner in school, also a friend." Stefan formally introduced, nudging his head toward me in a gesturing acknowledgement. I noticed the strong emphasis as did she, Lexi's features flashed at this news but her mouth curved into a mischievous smile.

"Tell me honestly. He hasn't been brooding has he?" She sighed dramatically, putting her elbow on his shoulder to lean on him. He sent her a look, and she merely gave an innocent smile. "What? It's your birthday, I'm allowed to push you out of your dark corner and force you into happiness."

"I don't have a… dark corner."

His statement was said with a pointed look. But the corners of his eyes crinkled, and he smiled. It was genuine, again. I could seriously see how much she meant to him, it was all the more heartbreaking. I cleared the lump forming in my throat, painting a polite and friendly grin on my features. "I have a suggestion."

"Oh?" She smirked, her vampiric companion narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Now I'm worried." He half heartedly joked again. Man, Lexi was good for him.

Which was precisely why she couldn't die.

"Instead of spending our time here-" I swept out an arm to gesture around, eager to fill out my plan. Their eyes followed the motion, then back to my face. I had piqued their intrigue. Excellant. "How about…" I dragged the last word on my tongue to stall them, brain rushing to think of something. My eyes flicked to the side, where Damon was snapping at Caroline.

I couldn't say it here.

He would hear.

"Adventure." I muttered instead and before I gave them a choice to answer, I turned on my heel and walked out the door.

To my luck, they followed.

"Oooooh an adventure where we blindly follow a girl we barely know into the dark?" Lexi wondered, sarcasm dripping into her voice slightly. "Are you going to murder us? Harvest our organs and sell it on the black market?"

"We're going on a journey, ever heard of going to one bar, finishing a pint, then the next and the next- etcetera. We're getting smashed, then maybe going to a lake for skinny dipping." I informed them, a smug smile on my face when Lexi tilted her head, pressed her lips together and shrugged, not actually minding this idea.

The lake.

On the outskirts of town- away from Damon. Away from Elena. Away from all this sodding drama.

"Isn't this a little… I don't know, much?" Stefan, however, was a little more cynical on the idea. I didn't particularly want to get pissed off my head with two vampires out of town, Karen would literally strangle me for putting her into worry like that- but if it saved Lexi's life, then I would suck it up.

"Chicken?" I challenged, a dare ringing in the air. Lexi 'oooh'ed him with a wiggle of her eyebrows, then linked arms with me.

"I like this girl." She stated, which made my chest well up with pride.

"Ah, merci beaucoup madame." I giggled and bowed my head, she mirrored the gesture and I heard Stefan sigh behind us.

"Alright, alright, but if either of you wake up with a hangover," he lifted his arms, shaking his head. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Can't hold your liquor, Stefanie?" I teased. Lexi gave an unladylike snort. I was proud.

"Hey. I'm actually very good with holding my liquor." He pressed a hand to his heart, as if affronted at the mere idea he was a weak lightweight and I snorted. You're a vampire. Doesn't count as fair.

As we kept walking, even as we hired a cab to travel to our first pub- I couldn't help the feeling of deep dread that stirred inside of me. I had messed with Damon's plans, surely that would come and bite me in the arse?

But when the shot burned down my throat, even as Lexi let out a cackle of laughter when she realised I was a massive lightweight, my cares vanished within the night, fueled and replaced by the sweet buzz of alcohol, along with the euphoria I felt that I had done something good. I saved a life. By making one choice, one slight alteration...

I saved Lexi.

And it fucking felt good.

* * *

 _ **So she's finally getting slightly involved XD It's a tad slow, but I really appreciate your patience and your reviews, they mean the world ^_^**_

 _ **Damon is annoyingly hot. I can see why Elena forgot all the bad XD But even if I did a romance between the two of my character and Damon, it would be very slow and progressing, as it should have to be- much like any other romance if I choose to have it.**_

 _ **We will see who turns out to be the romance option. It all depends, hell even Elijah and Klaus are an option, and I love those two XD But we will see!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**So... I happened to be going in and out of hospital lately, it's being treated and I'm going to be okay, hopefully- but hey! Chapter! xD**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Ain't No Rest For The Wicked**

* * *

Day 12

* * *

I was dead.

Well, not actually. But if I was dead, I felt like this is what death would be like.

Besides Karen screaming and crying into the phone and me wincing tremendously on the other end, I had the most _killer_ (get it?) headache. My head felt like complete mush, throat dry and scratchy. I didn't really remember most of last night, and that was a new sensation. I had never been _blackout_ drunk before. It seemed I was having all sorts of experiences, in a different dimension. I almost wanted to write it in a journal- sell it as a book and become rich.

I forgot to inform my guardian, forgetting about her and the fact she needed to know where I would traverse throughout the night. She had called the police when I didn't answer my phone, and at some point in my drunken state I called her back and thought I was ordering pizza- according to Lexi.

I also forgot about Sidney and the instant I was aware of this, I opened my phone to find a variety amount of panicked texts from the poor sod. I sent an apologetic reply and said I would explain another time, then fell back asleep on the very comfortable and soft pillow.

When I happened to reach consciousness again the sun was immensely unwelcome. I wondered briefly in passing, groggy thoughts if this is what being a vampire was like. The beams were blinding and painful and everything I looked at just glared at me. Lexi passed me sunglasses to shade my sensitive vision, feeling sympathetic for the poor human girl who couldn't hold her liquor at all.

My eyes kept darting between the two of them, guarded. However, they didn't reveal that I had blurted out anything about them being supernatural beings. I cringed when they mentioned my drunken carefree singing about sea shanties. Then to my ultimate horror, asking Stefan if he was a pirate, due to having a tremendous booty. Lexi had been laughing her arse off, whilst I simply shook my head and weakly smirked up at them, a light flush crawling over my skin before casually admitting that I was indeed right.

Lexi agreed, ceasing any embarrassment I slightly felt.

I had to excuse myself to the bathroom a few times, especially last night, to chuck up puke until it became pure, green bile. The churning stopped eventually and when I came out of the bathroom, Lexi informed me that Stefan went out for a bit. I simply nodded offhandedly, and collapsed back on the hotel bed, wishing to never even look at alcohol again.

It made me ill just thinking about it.

Lexi peeled the covers off my face, made a joke about something I didn't quite register and pulled me up gently, patting my head like one would do with a pet cat. I didn't mind though, the sensations on the base of my skull were soothing to all hell, relaxing me. It was like a brief massage, I could have curled up on the bed again but Stefan waltzed in, balancing three cups in his hands.

"Feeling better?" He swiftly enquired, I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. "This should help."

Coffee.

A wry smile twitched at my words. "You're an angel."

When they exchanged that look. The one where two close friends shared a private, inside joke that twinkled in both their eyes, I could already tell what they were thinking, and didn't think that I knew.

Quite the opposite.

My fingers folded over the paper cup, fiddling loosely with the covering that shielded my palms from the fresh heat. "I wasn't… a terror, to you both last night, was I?"

"Which part are you referring to?" Lexi teased, ignoring the groan of protest. "Shouting about how perfectly photoshopped we were? Threatening to dissect us to take our pretty DNA and modify your own so you would also be greatly photoshopped? Claiming that you were the daughter of Odin and demanding another beverage after smashing all the glasses to the floor?"

My face flushed, but I refused to be embarrassed about it. "Did you at least join me in a quest to defend Asgard against undead?"

"You tried to sword fight me with the Big Mouth Billy Bass from the wall." Lexi giggled, that twinkle in her pretty eyes. "So I suppose that counts as slaying the demons, as you so politely put it."

Demons.

At least I didn't say vampires.

Lifting a hand, I slowly rubbed it down my face with a dragged out, hoarse whine. "Never again."

"That's what they all say," Lexi sung the words over her shoulder, shuffling to the bathroom.

It was then I noticed her appearance. Tank top. No bra. Underwear. Her cheeks hanging out of the taut knickers. She didn't notice that I gave her a quick once over.

Huh.

I appreciated the attractive sight, but shrugged to myself and soon rolled back over, sighing blissfully into my cup of black coffee. A quick frown forming before melting into a relaxed, unguarded smile. "How did you know how I like my coffee?"

He blinked. Then his mouth curved into a smile. Almost… teasing. His green gaze lowered so he could level contact with me, that familiar shadow forming between his brows. "You were uh, singing about coffee as black as the night," his teeth started to peek through his lips, turning into a small grin. "Then demanded a refill… even though you didn't have coffee."

"What did I have? Absinthe from Spain? Damned krogan ale?" I muttered. He looked confused at the last bit, but my head hurt too much to explain fully. "It's a video game thing, Mass Effect- you wouldn't have heard of it."

"Ah." He nodded in confirmation, fingers lightly tapping the rim of his paper cup. "No, I can't say I have."

"You seem more like a writer, not a gamer." I mumbled, shoving my face into the pillow. Even to me, my voice became a little muffled to my ears. But I knew I didn't need to speak up, considering he had better hearing than a dog.

But I heard him. I peeked out of a thin line of hair, which was a wild mess around my face. He looked positively addled. "What makes you say that?"

I didn't know how to answer him, never having been good with words. So I shooed him, waving a dismissive hand. "Call it women's intuition. Now. I must slumber."

And so I did.

When I woke up, Lexi was in my face. I groggily put a hand on her forehead, pushing her away. She laughed and I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, pushing myself up with a sigh. My voice was croaky, and didn't taste great. "What time is it?"

"Around seven." She informed me, which made my eyes widen slightly and I crashed back onto the bed with a whine.

"My ma is gonna skin me."

"I thought I'd wake you, I'm leaving and Stefanie wants to take you home, try to soften the blow with his," Lexi deepened her voice, "persuasion."

Shit.

They were going to try and do me a kindness by compelling her weren't they?

Fuck.

Fuckity, fucking, fucker, shitting-

Why did I give her vervain before?

"Ehhh," I shook my head, to Lexi's slight surprise and reached up a hand to my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Don't worry about it. Believe me, it will be better if she didn't know Stefan was involved."

"Why?" Her muddy eyes sharpened, eyebrows shooting up.

"Just…" I sucked at lying. "He can drop me off, but leave my mother to me."

"I don't know, Fia," she rolled the nickname in her tongue smoothly and smirked down at me, cocking a hip and putting her hand onto it. I coiled my fingers around the duvet and pulled it off slowly. "Stefan really has a way with words-"

It wouldn't work though.

Not when she was vervain coated.

Why did I have to be a genius?

I'd be grounded for the year, no doubt. But it wasn't any punishment, not really. It would keep me away from the bundle of drama I was so keen to escape. It was reckless and impulsive last night. I did a Damon thing- except I did a good thing, with Damon mannerisms.

What a week.

"Earth to Fia…" A hand waved in front of my gaze, causing me to edge back and blink. "You there?"

"Daydreamer." Again. Not a lie. But I was deep in thought, my word was a distracted mumble. I inhaled and swung my legs off the bed, pushing my bare feet onto the carpeted floor before darting my eyes to the severe lack of jeans, only underwear and a shirt I didn't recognize. Hell, how smashed was I last night? I probably damaged my liver, who knew if it was even still working? "Um."

Dark eyes trailed from my toes to the exposed legs. "Hmm? Oh," a mirthful glitter in her face, a flash of a wicked smile. "You stripped to your underwear. Said it was too constricting, Stefan gave you his shirt."

Not bothered by it, like she thought I would be, I merely shrugged and was satisfied with her answer. I was more curious than mortified. Underwear to me was like a bikini. The only difference was one was acceptable to wear outside at the beach, whilst the other was scandalous.

Though, a smile touched my lips at how sweet the gesture was. Stefan gave me his shirt? Bless him. It faded when I caught Lexi examining me. "What?"

"You are aware that Stefan's affections, are directed at this girl called Elena? Right? He's not interested in anyone else." She was blunt, and my mouth twitched before I let out an unladylike snort.

"Stefan seems like a great person." I reached down, spotting my jeans lazily sprawled on the floor and grabbing them. "But I'm not romantically interested in anyone in this town."

"In this town?" A coy look.

"There's a dude back home that might be in the list of people that happen to admire me." At the sassy hair flip she couldn't help the chortle that escaped from her. I wryly smiled and shoved my leg through one of the pants. "Nah, I'm just not looking for anything right now. I want to finish school, paint, maybe get a job. That's it for now."

And go home.

"Hmm. That's a surprisingly mature outlook." Lexi pointed out, the bed creaked when I stood up to hop into the rest of my jeans. "And slightly lonely."

I wasn't really that mature. I wouldn't mind someone to distract me from my studies, to appreciate and for them to appreciate me back. But this wasn't the ideal place. I couldn't get attached to anyone here, as frustratingly pretty as they all appeared to be.

"Only for a few years." I buttoned the waistband, then stretched with a dragging yawn.

"Well, if you happen to find someone," Where were my shoes? "Make sure you hang onto them. In my experience, games are stupid. Seize the opportunity." When I glanced at her, eyebrows raising and a smile on my face, she waved a dismissive hand. "Listen to me, I sound like an old woman."

"A wise old woman, in that case." I teased, but also suppressed the bark of laughter bubbling in my chest. She was 300 after all. Around that age. Powerful, but chose to be friendly and kept her morals close to her. Blunt, no bullshit. One of the reasons I liked her. Lexi was badass.

"Hey, respect your elders." I laughed, shaking my head. I shuffled around, looking for my boots. I found them by the door and snatched them up, leaning on the wall to pull one on. The door opened, Stefan popped his gelled head in and looked between us. "Hey Stef."

"Stefanie." I greeted, tying the laces on my boot. The door squeaked when he walked further in and I looked up, peaking through my hair. He wore a new shirt, which reminded me to glance down at the one I was wearing. My nose wrinkled at the ketchup stain on it. I'd have to wash and return this at some point.

"Ready to go?" He asked me, I hummed in confirmation, sliding on my other boot. Stefan smiled pleasantly at Lexi and she rolled her eyes with a sigh, uncrossing her arms and moving toward the Salvatore.

"Come here, you brooding sap." She grinned, and they tightly embraced. "It was good to catch up with you. I'll be here your next birthday."

"Old man." I muttered and snickered, they smiled at my response. A secretive smile.

Fools.

"I'm glad you came Lexi," his voice was so sincere, the warmest smile highlighting the strong features of his handsome face, it made my own mouth quirk at the corners. He needed to smile more, and he seemed to do that around Lexi.

"What sort of friend would I be if I didn't show?" She scoffed, pushing him away now but with a playful laugh. "I'm not a certain bitch."

Ooh, Katherine hints.

He kept his smile, but the light slightly faded from his eyes and if I didn't know any better I would've said he almost rolled his eyes at Lexi's brash behaviour.

Lexi hugged me, then bid me adieu- as well as surprisingly giving me her number, telling me to all if I'm ever in trouble (That'll come in handy). Stefan put his hand on my lower back, leading me out the door. When he handed the key back to the receptionist (who wouldn't stop with flirtatious smiles) I walked ahead of him to stared at his car. Mustang. Nice. I forgot how sleek and clean his car was.

Do you like the car?" Stefan's voice brought up behind me, and I craned my neck over to him as he walked up to me, the glass hotel door slowly closing behind him. "A royal classic, isn't she?"

"If she was person, you'd have to rip me off her. She's too beautiful to resist, man." I grinned, and Stefan quietly chuckled, nudging his head to the doors.

I comfortably seated myself on the leather, reaching around to pull the seatbelt around me for safety. Stefan got in and I felt the vibrations of the smooth and healthy sounding engine. Pressing my back into the chair, my head lolled to the side and leaned on my knuckles, bracing my elbow on the window- which I had rolled down.

"I'm sorry if I was a bother last night." I genuinely apologised to the vampire. It was for the greater good.

Stefan gave a low throaty chuckle, tapping a finger on the wheel. "It's alright. Quite an interesting sight for my birthday."

I almost punched his arm playfully but resisted and merely snorted. A wry smile tugged at my mouth. "How old are you anyway?"

There was a moment of hesitation. Not for very long, a quick flitter across his features. Most people wouldn't have got it, but after watching the series twice, you notice a few habitual traits in the characters the actors were trying to convey- which passed down into real life. I was watching him carefully out the corner of my eye.

"Eighteen." He lied smoothly.

"Maybe I should have bought you some knitting equipment and a rocking chair." I teased, but couldn't fully grin. I was anxious over my guardian's reaction to me coming back home after a night of neglecting her calls and texts. I didn't necessarily do it on purpose, I just forgot to answer in my drunken state.

"You know, eighteen isn't that old." He defended, but by the smile on his face and the fact I knew he wasn't really eighteen, I knew he wasn't offended.

I was right.

It was a shitstorm when I got back.

Stefan tried to calm her down, however- due to the vervain I put on her, it didn't work. Though he could have that gentleman charm- Karen was furious with him as much as me, and told him to leave. When things didn't go as planned for the vampire, Stefan's eyes had flashed with surprise, followed by suspicion and confusion.

He briefly glanced at me before shuffling off the porch with his hands in his pockets, gaze sympathetic, with underlying racing feelings compressed into those green depths.

The instant the door shut, Karen whirled around to me and I braced myself for the lecture I was about to receive.

But she didn't give me a rant or a verbal punishment.

She hit me.

The moment her hand connected with my cheek, a harsh sting lingered there. My head snapped to the side from the force and I cried out more in shock than pain. Then I simply stood there, my fingers slowly raising to touch the skin that was no doubt red from the slap, slowly processing what just happened.

My eyes darted up, staring at Karen's hard eyes. A piercing inferno simmered in her gaze and burned into me, her mouth pulled into a thin line and a vein throbbed in her temple, her stature tense and anger radiating off her in rapid waves. It slightly faded at my hurt expression but then disappointment blazed and fizzled in her vision.

In bristling thick silence, Karen swiftly brushed passed me to the stairs.

I didn't react to it, and I heard the door to her room slam, almost shaking the house.

I didn't realise I had tears flowing down my cheeks until I moved my hand, seeing a line of quiet tears running down my palm. Sharply inhaling, I rubbed them away and swallowed the hard lump forming in my throat.

I guess I deserved that.


	9. Chapter 9

**UPDATE! :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: Dance with a Demon**_

* * *

Day 23

* * *

 _Bang! Crash!_

"Fucking-!"

Whirling around, I snatched off the hairbrush and threw it across the room, hitting the wall. Heat bristled underneath my skin.

I was angry. Scared. Worried. Frantic.

I had been stuck indoors for the past few days because Karen refused to let me out, not even to the grocery store. The only means of knowing where I was in the timeline being the texting that I had with Matt and his progress on dating Caroline. The dance had gone by. The tomb had been opened and I knew Bonnie's grandmother had died, it was too late. I didn't save her, one of my chances of getting home was gone- ripped viciously from my grasp.

It was bad she was dead, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't find it in me to care much about it. I didn't know her personally and my main priority was getting back.

Now, the vampires would be out of the tomb.

Sid was in danger. I cared for him as a friend, though still felt tempted to leave. He wasn't entirely my responsibility. I would care if he died, but wouldn't be able to do much about it.

Karen was also in danger. Even though I was frustrated at her right now, I didn't want her to fucking die- which would allow me more freedom. But she sheltered me. She fed me. She cared for me. To let her die was selfish and cruel. The vampires were out. Twenty-fucking-seven of them. I scribbled in my journal again, at how trapped I felt, how I could do nothing but stay in my room, stuck in my house like a caged animal- then I threw it, pacing in my room.

Karen yelled to keep it down, but I ignored her. I had to think. I had to do something. I couldn't escape town, she'd ground me until I was dead. If I left, she would be left behind. Sid could die. I had the means to do it, so if I did jack shit, wouldn't it be me basically tearing their heads off?

I had no weapons. I wasn't fast. I wasn't strong.

Which meant I had to play safe- or build allies.

Allies that would protect me. Stefan for example. Elena, though she mainly got anyone associated with her in trouble. Damon was a big stretch, he didn't care about anyone until later in seasons, and if anyone established a bond he would still kill them in a split second for his precious Elena Gilbert. Jeremy, I wouldn't get much other than being mind controlled by the vampire brothers. Bonnie was an option, but she was grieving her grandmother right now. She rarely responded to any texts I sent her, careful and testing the waters. When she did, it was almost flat, too short, sad. Matt wasn't an option. He was too good for this- he also had his mother do deal with, poor sod. Tyler had his own drama, and he was far too stubborn and grumpy to befriend. I still made note of him, it was always good to have a werewolf on your side- especially since their bite was venomous to vampires.

I gave a dry smirk and chuckled to myself. Like having a guard dog.

There was also Lexi. Who gave me her number to text or call if I ever had any trouble with anything. I was sure it would probably come in handy, but I wouldn't make a habit of calling upon her, I saved her for a reason. If I got her killed, it would defeat the purpose of saving her.

I doubted Lee would appreciate it either.

Alaric would be too busy in his own revenge agenda right now- I also couldn't approach him like 'hey I'm Sofia, protect me from the vamps please' and expect him to trust me.

I was mainly on my own.

Speaking of Alaric, I spotted him in school.

The other day I had caught a glimpse of him when shuffling through the hallway with Bennie and Sidney. I had just introduced them and Bennie was keeping a keen eye on me during the day like the principal had asked him to do- in case I collapsed or had a fit or something.

The charming teacher looked just like in the show, if a bit more refined. Dark blue shirt that had sleeves rolled to the elbows. My gaze had travelled to the lean muscles clearly there, observing the tall gentleman, about 6'2 in height, with an athletic build. I couldn't lie. He was a handsome man with short, brown hair that was gelled on the top, with a boyish grin tugging at his mouth. It frustrated me again and I wanted to yell at him.

They were all photoshopped. It was confirmed.

Sid seemed to take my irritated, slightly awed stare as one of admiration and relentlessly teased me about it as my first teacher crush. Bennie followed suit and they both bonded over my misfortune. Eventually I huffed indignantly and threatened to castrate them, before leaving to go to Alaric's class.

He was charming and caught the student's attention rather easily. Alaric made history interesting to listen to, and it wasn't even just his looks. I was genuinely interested, made notes, after class I felt motivated to research and complete my homework in the library on my break before it was even due. I was a bit of a teacher's pet, in regards to Alaric.

I was supposed to go to school today, but I felt too unnerved and was skitting around my room in panic. Vervain was in my jacket pockets for emergencies. I reduced it to a powder and put it in tea- and I didn't even like tea, but I forced it down and started munching on cereal. It helped the nerves to eat, keep my brain distracted, but I was a wreck.

I was apparently not so subtle with it either. I slammed the locker shut, a little too hard. The other kid who arrived on the same day I did, Mark, jumped and glanced at me with wide eyes before he skittered off after seeing me. Seemed I made an impression on my first day to him.

"You seem… on edge."

I turned to the green eyed vampire approaching from behind and swallowed, gripping the vervain in my pocket tightly before zipping it shut, rubbing my hands on the back of my jeans. "Noo, me? I'm as cool as a cucumber. Totally not a bundle of emotions. Ever."

He almost looked like he wanted to roll his eyes at my usual snark. Stefan crossed his arms. "What's wrong? Is someone giving you trouble?"

The question was harmless, slightly teasing, but the intensity of his eyes watching me made my insides squirm. "No. Just personal issues," My mind raced. "Family visiting."

"Ah," a deep understanding suddenly built on his features and I nearly cackled at my own genius. Oh, right. Forgot. Family issues. Of all people to spin that lie to, it happened to be the one with the psychotic brother with rage issues. I can kiss myself sometimes. "I definitely get that."

"Yeah." I said slowly and started to fiddle with my sleeve, but shrugged it aside. "Should be resolved soon, but I would kill someone for a distraction."

Careful with your words, Fia.

"Well," he started, I rose my eyebrow. "What about the homework we never discussed?" He had the decency to look sheepish. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. I've been so busy-"

"Family troubles, am I right?" I didn't even have to force a laugh. Damon Salvatore, Katherine, that damn compass and relationship troubles, he had enough of his plate. He didn't need to add getting an A plus for a stupid science experiment on it.

He smiled and nodded, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. I didn't blame him.

Something suddenly brushed by me and the person responsible stood next to Stefan, who put his arm around her waist and perked slightly at her appearance. Warm brown eyes met mine, a polite smile formed on her irritatingly pretty face. They exchanged a few words but I wasn't listening, I was too busy surveying the features of the girl, recognising her in a flash.

Elena Gilbert.

Perfect.

 _My queue to leave. I'm not going to be third wheel._

Before I could slip into the shadows- or my next class- she spoke up, directly looking at me.

"Hi, I'm Elena." The show's protagonist sweetly offered her hand, and it was still awfully surreal to reach out and shake it. I didn't have to, but I felt obligated. Making enemies with the main protagonist would not suit my needs. Plus, it was Nina Dobrev's model in the flesh. It was like a weird vacation meeting the cast of the Vampire Diaries- except they were all in character.

They were both staring at me when I didn't say anything, choking on my own tongue. Stefan took pity on me. "This is Sofia, she's in my science class. We're partners."

Elena blinked and her forehead seemed to crease slightly at that but she quickly replaced it with another smile. That practised one I knew she wore when people apologised about the death of her parents- that polite mask you wore when people asked about your life and how you were doing but you didn't know how to respond because you had no life.

Or was that just me?

Before, I had a family. I had my hobbies. But a job? A career? I was a starving artist. There wasn't much I could do-

Which just added to the list of questions as to why I was here, of all people. I saved one- or well, two people. One of them didn't even know me, they didn't even know I saved Lexi. To them, I was no one.

The silent vigilante. I was brooding more than Stefan did- that was an impressive feat.

When I caught them looking again, I forced a giggle. "Sorry, I get caught in my own daydreaming head sometimes- I'll see you later Stefan, it was nice meeting you Elena."

"You too." She acknowledged, with another one of those smiles. I skipped ahead, leaving the two love birds by my locker.

 _Later that day_

"What on earth are you _doing_?"

There wasn't any point to hiding what I was doing or any time, so I didn't bother. Black boots entered my vision and my eyes trailed up the legs to find Sid staring down at me with a perplexed twisted face, evidently confused.

The Clash emitted from the radio on the windowsill, filling the room with music that I sung the lyrics to. My light was on so I could see what I was doing. My mind was distracted, set on the task in front of me.

 _"London calling to the underwoorld-"_

I scraped the wood with my knife, and Sid sat in front of me, quirking an eyebrow as he searched my face, looking for answers I lacked to provide. "Don't tell me you're making a stake- you're not one of those Twilight tween obsessed chicks are you?"

"Oh yes, because the necrophilia and beastiality between a young teenage girl and her lovers is a beautiful thing. Oh, and pedophilia." He glared, I ignored him. "What are you doing in here? How did you even get in here? I'm surprised Karen didn't skin you alive."

"She's not mad at me." He pointed out. "She's mad at _you_."

I squinted at him. "Why did she let you in?"

"Would you believe that some people actually happen to find me quite charming?" He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. My nose crinkled and I shoved him away from me. He grumbled from the floor and sat up, resting his elbows on his bent knees. "Seriously though, what are you carving? A sex toy?"

I blinked at the suggestion, then snorted. "Sure. A sex toy."

It wasn't really. It was a stake. I figured I'd hunt around in the garden for a branch, dragged it to the shed, then chopped it down to size and now I was sitting here, bits of bark around my floor, shavings littering the place. This one wasn't done, but I had sharpened a few and locked them away in the bedside draw already. From now on, I'd carry at least two or three with me wherever I went.

He obviously wasn't expecting me to agree with him, by the widening of his eyes. Then he smirked. "Don't get splinters. I'd imagine explaining that to the doctor would be difficult. They'll probably want to do more tests on that messed up noggin' of yours."

"Fantastic. Perfect." I scowled. "I always wanted to be a personal guinea pig. I finally get my birthday wish- oops. I'm not supposed to say it out loud, oh well. Guess it won't come true now."

"Seriously you dork," he knocked onto the side of my skull, earning a slap. "Why are you making a stake? Watch any vampire films lately?"

"I'm bored." I partially lied. He stared. "What? Karen took my art supplies as part of my punishment."

"So you… decided to make a stake." He stated slowly, patronising tone abundant. I ignored it.

"Great deduction there, Sherlock. Maybe someone will give you a medal if you keep making observations like that." I held up the stake to the light, examining the tip and the edges. Not sharp enough. Too bulky, it wouldn't dive straight in.

"Weirdo."

"Never got laid for being normal." I clarified. He chortled, then gave me an inquisitive, prying look. Sid edged forward, leaning his chin onto his palm.

"Oh?" He shot me a coy smile.

"Fuck off." I flatly said. In all honesty, I didn't mind the company. Hell the more time Sid spent with me, the less danger he was in.

"Ah, that British charm." He held his heart. "I cannot take it."

I rolled my eyes and sighed but looked up with surprise when Sid reached forward, snatching one of the wooden figures I hadn't carved yet and he began scraping it along the side. He saw my face and shrugged. "If I'm staying, I might as well help you, even if you are a nutjob."

The room was filled with the sound of The Clash, our tools making the weapons and Sid's horrible singing along to the lyrics. A smile tugged at my mouth, and I giggled, causing my friend to flick me a wink.

Later during the evening when Sid had left and I was shuffling the stakes in my hands to organise them in my draw. Karen shouted up at me to take the rubbish in the kitchen to the bins outside so I grumbled to myself but went downstairs, gliding around the isle and gathering the rubbish in the bin, lifting the bag out and moving by Karen- who was chatting to someone on the couch.

Random man, Aedan McKellan. Gentleman with a full set of red hair and a copper beard and a fondness for history- dinosaurs in particular. Irish, by the sounds of things. Obviously had a thing for Karen and she was either blind to it or playing hard to get. Judging by the sly glances she sent him, I would say the latter.

He had seen me and waved, I returned the gesture with a mockingly sarcastic salute and continued passing through the living room, disinterested. _Grab rubbish. Put in bin. Continue furnishing my stakes._

The bulky bag rustled and I dragged it behind me, hauling it to the big dumpster by our house. I hopped off the step and felt myself hesitate. Then I looked around. The place was pretty dead. My only source of light was the artificial tall lamp by the porch, giving the place an eerie, dimly lit glow.

"Okay," I murmured out loud. "Bin it. Leave. Bin it. Leave. Bin it. Leave."

From what little experience I had in horror thrillers, this usually was the part where something unfortunate and nasty happened to me. Maybe I finally get my neck chomped on by a vampire, or a werewolf decided this would be the perfect time to activate their curse by killing me. Hell, knowing my luck it might even be an errant drunk behind a wheel.

A cat meowed loudly from the yard across the street, the sudden sound startling me and nearly causing me to drop the bags.

I'm way too paranoid for my own good.

 _Sod this_ , I thought and picked up my pace. I reached the dumpster and dropped the bags momentarily so I could lift the lid, then chucked one of the bags in.

A noise made me freeze, then my hand drifted to my waistband to my small stake. _Motherfreaking fuck, fuckity, fuck-_

The same cat shrieked again, the unholy noise quickly followed by some dog barking in the distance.

"Damned animals," I muttered. Too damned paranoid, this couldn't have been healthy in any-

A hand clapped down on my shoulder, roughly spinning me around. I gasped and stumbled back, hand about to snap down to grab the stake, but his fingers tightly wrapped around my wrists and pinned me to the dumpster, an ache crawled up my back and an alarmed cry was torn out of my throat before it was stifled by a hand pressed against my mouth.

 _"Don't struggle, and don't scream."_

 _Oh you've gotta be fuckin-_

I didn't recognise the vampire and it wasn't hard to see him properly in this light, but his unfamiliarity didn't remain relevant for long when his sclera turned red, black veins slithering underneath his eyes. Before my brain could even process what just happened and what it meant, the vampire sunk his elongated fangs into my neck.

The pain was momentary, faint, a choked gasp escaping me as I instinctively tried to push him away. Then he tore free, much less gently than he did when he latched himself onto my neck, the violent action tearing a small chunk of flesh from my neck along with a ragged, hoarse scream from my throat.

"Vervain," he spat, hoarse voice croaked in disgust as he hunched over, retching and wheezing, fingers clawing at his own throat which I hoped was scorching in agony. His eyes had a murderous glint within them, anger boiled across his features as he stared at the blood pouring out of my neck despite the hand clutched against it in an effort to stop the bleeding... "Salvatore…"

He recovered much faster than I thought he would've, flashing back up onto his feet and before my face right as I ripped the stake out from my pocket. An animalistic roar, full of rage and emotion right alongside my terrified shriek as I stabbed forward while stumbling back. I missed his heart, or rather, he stopped it with his hand, the wooden spear impaled deep in his left palm and drew a pained growl from him.

"Oh _shi_ -"

His right palm slammed into my chest, and despite the supposed effects of vervain severely weaken a vampire, it still carried enough force to lift me off my feet and send me flying across the street with a deafening crack. I felt, and heard my ribs crack from the sheer force. I had zero doubts that at full strength, that blow alone would've collapsed my entire ribcage.

My back exploded in pain as I crashed down onto the front of a parked car, cracking the windscreen and denting the hood. Karen's car, I recognised as the vehicle's alarm began to wail, the loud klaxon deafening in the otherwise quiet night. Like a banshee.

It hurt to breathe, I couldn't move.

"This isn't over bitch," I barely heard the vampire's voice over the car alarm, seeing him stumble around weakly before finally managing to _flash_ away.

 _"Sofia? Oh my God, Sofia!?"_

Oh man. Karen's going to be so mad about her car. I hoped she didn't ground me further.

A curtain of black rushed over my vision.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry it took a bit longer than usual. I've been so busy, from hospital, to being ill at home, to trying to take it easy and now training at a post office D: On the bright side, here you go! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Eggshells**

* * *

Day 24

* * *

"Motherfuck."

The first word I uttered could have been better, but only curse words came to mind when I reached consciousness. My chest felt tight, and faintly painful. The light was a little blinding but I squinted through it, trying to sit up only to feel a stab jolt in my ribcage. I froze when the memories came crashing back and remembered that blasted vampire.

In my short stay in Mystic Falls, I've been in this hospital for a total of four times. The first, naturally was the 'accident' that landed me here. The subsequent two were follow ups to check on my brain and a bunch of other things in regard to the 'amnesia' I was diagnosed with - unsurprisingly, nothing was wrong with my brain.

And finally, this little mess.

Three cracked ribs, pulmonary contusion, stitches on my neck, cuts all over my body thanks to the shattered glass and a mild fracture in my hip, just to top things off. Not exactly a healthy prognosis for one to have, since at least two of those diagnoses were likely to have lasting effects on me until the day I die.

Not to mention a pain in the ass, since I woke up with at least three other tubes shoved inside my body thanks to my pulmonary contusion — bruised lung. Two shoved inside my nostrils to help me breath, and one inside my chest to drain my lungs of fluids to stop me from drowning in my own fluids.

And just to cap things off, I'm likely to have difficulties walking in the future, thanks to my hip.

I probably should be thankful that I'm alive after a violent encounter with a undead bloodsucking human with super strength, but really, I'm in too much pain to care.

And angry.

Asshole.

I hoped the vervain boiled his insides.

The girls that put a spin on it, I've seen and heard them exclaiming that they'd let certain vampire characters sink their fangs into their throats. After experiencing it first hand, I wanted to slap them. It wasn't pleasant at all and I wouldn't be letting it happen again, let alone on purpose. This one was extra rough, seeing as I had vervain in my veins and he violently ripped his fangs from me instead of just ordinarily detaching. To actively ask one of the vampires to bite me was like plunging a knife into my own skin.

Moronic. Suicidal. Practically self-harm.

I felt like I should have been freaking out more. But I kind of expected it, so it didn't come as much of a surprise to me. If anything, I was more furious than scared. The muscles in my body quivered a little from the aftershock of being treated like a juicebox. My fingers clenched around the thin blanket tucked around my body and I gritted my teeth. That bastard. How fucking dare he?!

Which vampire was it? Who attacked me? Was it one of the tomb vampires? At least I stabbed his hand- but I obviously I came out of the fight worse off than he did. I mean, he still managed to punt me across the street despite having ingested some vervain, and after being stabbed with wood. I was a little disappointed and surprised by the lack of Karen's presence, but then saw her bag on the chair next to me. Maybe she left to get a coffee?

"Try not to move."

The voice was unexpected, so much that I almost rolled out of my bed. When I looked up, Sheriff Forbes was standing in the doorframe. Arms crossed. Staring over at me warily. A sombre line across her mouth.

Crap.

The bite.

The bite on my neck- it pointed to vampires with a big neon sign. She probably wanted to know what I saw and remembered. She'd mention the attack to Damon and he'd look into it for the good of the town. I could play dumb, act like the vampire compelled me. The doctors would think it was my "amnesia" again and want to do more scans, poke and prod me. Karen-

Karen's car.

Frak. She was gonna be so mad.

He threw me on it, granted. There wasn't much I could do about it. Still. That was gonna cost money to get repairs. We weren't poor but we certainly weren't rich. I doubted her new job was going to cover it- I hoped she had insurance.

Then there was also Forbes, who unsurprisingly, had a few questions about what happened that night. After all, I had a vampire's bite on my neck, and I've been propelled into a car windshield with more force than a human could possibly cause, the dent on the car attested to that. I treaded carefully, like a surgeon with a scalpel- edging around the vital arteries so I didn't nip anything bad.

I made it look like I couldn't really fill in the blanks. That I had holes in my memories. She seemed a little skeptical at first but I managed to pull it off, hoping that she thought I had been compelled.

Which reminded me, the vervain in my system was probably gone by now, washed out by all the drugs and water and shit they pumped into me. I reached over to the bedside, where my bracelet and necklace were, knowing they were my back up- I quickly put them on, feeling defenceless and naked without them.

A smirk twitched on my face at the sight of my scrunchie, I picked it up and tied my hair up. I could kiss my brain. Just like with Sid's bracelet, where I opened the material and inserted the vervain inside of it- I did the same with my hair scrunchie, so it was a bit more disguised.

I was determined to be prepared, I wouldn't be caught off guard like that again. I should've known better.

To my ultimate horror- I was proved wrong just seconds after I made myself that promise.

The door opened again.

Oh fuck off.

"Hi," Damon fucking Salvatore greeted me, a friendly -yet clearly fake since I happened to know his character very well- smile stretching across his lips. "Sofia Howlett, am I right? Stefan's little science partner?"

The universe hated me today.

Kill me.

Actually, he probably would. I take that back.

My heart skipped a beat and I forced myself to calm down, knowing he could perfectly hear it. A pang of dread and fear pierced through me. My spine straightened, I could feel my muscles instinctively stiffen and my fingers twitched toward the emergency nurse button- not that they would be able to fight off this supernatural bundle of joy.

I left it to be silent for a few moments, to make sure there wouldn't be a waver in my voice when I spoke. Those icy, sharp eyes surveyed me, reminding me of a hawk before they dove down to swipe their prey. "Hi."

Clearly, despite my best attempts to hide the anxiety bubbling in my stomach and apprehension, something must have shown on my face. "Have we ever met before? You look as though you've seen a ghost, or like I've stepped on your puppy or something."

He innocently tilted his head and widened his eyes slightly as emphasis, that practised charming smile that he usually flashed the ladies to shake off that nagging voice telling them there was something wrong. But it wouldn't work on me. I could see right through his little handsome, harmless act he projected.

Especially since I watched it so many times. He was one of my favorite characters on the show, mainly because I empathised with most of the misunderstood villains. He was one of them. It didn't help he was eye candy- though most of them on the show are just automatic eye candy.

However, this wasn't a TV show.

This was real.

And I couldn't help the small feeling of terror that I tried to squish down- specifically because this was season one Damon. He didn't have any forms of redemption just yet. I had logical reason to be a little spooked.

"Stefan mentioned me?"

I smoothly changed the subject, quirking an eyebrow. I cursed the younger Salvatore, wanting to strangle him and yell. Why the hell did he do that? He put me in danger just by breathing my name. Particularly because I messed with Damon's plans to kill Lexi.

He couldn't have known that was me though. There was no way. My approach was direct to keep Lexi alive but I didn't interact with him before. There was no evidence pointing to me herding Stefan and Lexi out of town like a shepherd with her sheep. He couldn't have known how I easily manipulated the two to follow me away from Lexi's demise.

"Not really," he casually sauntered in the room, I had to stop myself from leaping to the window to escape him. Not that I could even get out of this bed in the first place, since I'm literally hooked to it thanks to all the tubes and needles stuck inside me. "Just by name and something about being paired up with some transfer for science. Damon Salvatore, yes before you ask, I'm Stefan's brother. Has he ever mentioned me?"

"Not at all. It's like you didn't exist." I sweetly responded with a little passive aggressive anger leaking into my tone, mentally kicking myself. Don't provoke him, you nut job.

That false smile seemed to spread a little, almost straining but his mask was back in place instantly- that I nearly missed the irritated flash. His eyes flickered and he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.

"That's not surprising, he was always jealous that I'm better than he ever will be. Siblings, ugh!" He tilted his head back, feigning irritation. He leaned back against the radiator by the wall next to me and crossed his arms.

Remains to be seen.

Of course, I didn't say this out loud- knowing he can tear out my heart with a flick of his wrist before I could even blink.

I decided to get this over with, the burning curiosity bristling under my skin.

"Is there something you want?"

He looked over at me, that familiar small smirk twitching onto his strangely angelic face- oddly hitting me with a pang of anger. Why does everyone look so damned photoshopped? He hummed in thought, wagging a finger at me. "Hm. I like you. Straight to the point, just the way I like it. Don't worry, this won't take long."

Before I could ask what he meant, he was suddenly in front of me, leaning over my body. The force of his quick movement shot a breath of air over my face. His leather jacket brushed against my arm. The material was cold and I jolted, eyes wide, pressing myself back into the bed- wishing I could vanish beneath the blankets. I was stuck between the bed and Damon.

Fu-

His voice lowered, losing the friendly tone he was using before. I noticed how his eyes dilated, pools of blue nearly overlapping the pupil. "Start talking, the truth about what happened last night. _All of it_."

He was trying to compel me.

Fu-

I forced myself to answer, feeling my fingers coil underneath the covers. I stayed still, worried if I moved he'd know I was bullshitting. "I can't remember anything."

A flicker of annoyance flashed across his face. "Great. Think _harder_ , someone has to have done this. Is there anything you can tell me about him? His clothes, accessories, anything at all?"

I controlled myself, wanting nothing more than to punch him in the face but knowing it would screw me. I kept my voice even, nearly slipping up at the irked sneer building on his face. "I don't remember."

Please. Work.

Leave.

He leaned away, sighing. "What a disappointment," he said, lips twerking. "Nothing can be too easy can it? Oh well," he leaned forward again, levelling his gaze with mine. "You will not remember this little chat, I was never here, understood?"

"I will not remember. You were never here." I quietly repeated in the same dead tone. It was convincing even to me, considering I was in a daze. The room was spinning a little. This whole situation was once again, unbelievable.

His lips twitched, and I made the mistake of jumping when his hand tucked a stray flick of hair behind my ear, brushing the side of my cheek. An innocent gesture, but intimidating nonetheless. Oh no.

"You're good, I admit you even had me going for a little bit there." Shit. "Small tip, control your breathing, and your heartbeat. Granted, the latter's probably impossible, sucks to be you."

Bollocks.

No.

Shit.

Crap.

Cthulhu on a pike stick.

There was no point in playing dumb anymore. It was Damon. He had me figured out. He saw through my lies effortlessly. He knew that I knew about vampires. I fucked up. My breath hitched uncontrollably and I tensed, waiting for his next move. Then I clenched my teeth.

Wait.

Damon Salvatore. Known for his wit and his sass.

The cringe momentarily distracted me from my horror, putting a pause on it and putting a grimace on my face. "Seriously? If that's a pun, I'll kill myself for you. Sucks to be you? Seriously, surely you can do better than that."

There was a much dire situation at hand, I admit. But it took me so off guard.

"Awfully casual for someone who almost got murdered by one of my kind." He observed, mouth quirking at the corner. "Now," his finger tapped my nose, voice light hearted but an underlying tone to express his menacing threat. "What's stopping me from breaking your fingers one after the other until you tell me what I need to know?"

It took me a moment to answer. "We're in the middle of a hospital,"

"You say that as though you'll be living out the rest of your short miserable life in this disgusting place. Please, don't make me laugh." He didn't look like he'd even giggle. The lack of amusement on his face was scary.

He also had a fair point.

In actuality, there was nothing I could do to convince him. I was no one to him. A young, wounded bird with a broken wing and nowhere to run.

"Then nothing. I can't do a thing to stop you." I stated, as if it were simple science. "You don't have to threaten me to get information. A simple please would've been nice rather than you trying to violate my mind."

Don't sass him, numbnuts.

"Brave words, but like I said, your heartbeat and breathing gives it away. Almost makes you sound funny, even without the constant wheezing."

I didn't know if he would kill me anyway after getting information. Either way, I was screwed. So, I co-operated. "Dark gelled hair. Tall. Late twenties to early thirties, leather jacket. Mustache and small beard."

"Ah, that guy."

"Friend of yours?"

"He broke my window."

What-

Ah, that guy.

Fred? Frank? Frederick? Was that his name? The tomb vampire who wanted to kill the Salvatore's and kidnap Stefan? Crap. Didn't he torture the poor sod? But I weakened him with the vervain and the stake to his hand- he'd probably spend time picking out splinters from his palm, would that change anything? Maybe delay him?

"Well, he broke my ribs,"

"Pssh, ribs grow back. Windows don't." He dismissed, swatting a hand. He opened the door, then craned his head over to me, giving me another one of those smirks he was infamous for. "We'll talk more after I discuss reimbursement fees with him. Maybe you'll feel more talkative once you are out of this miserable little place."

The door shut behind him, flicker of dark hair rushing out. I watched him through the glass in the door. His head bobbed down the corridor, determined strides leading him further and further away from me. Once I was sure he was out of the hospital, I scowled and caught my breath, able to breathe a little easier with him gone from the room.

"Asshole."

I deeply inhaled, leaning back onto the bed. I put a hand against my forehead, trying to calm the hammering heartbeat against my sore ribs. There was a tremor in my aftershock, quaking my body and my clammy hands. I just stared down death, threw some quips and probably gave him an excuse to come back and snap my neck like a twig. Because I simply know what he is.

I was in trouble.

A few minutes later, my guardian rushed in and almost collapsed at the sight of me.

Karen was exhausted, as I expected.

Her hair was a mess, like she hadn't brushed it in two days- tied up without much effort. Heavy bags under her eyes, and her skin was paler than normal. She barely left my side, and fell asleep in her chair. I didn't have the heart to tell her to go home.

"I've almost lost you, twice now." She had croaked, my face in her trembling hands. I grimaced and awkwardly pulled her into a hug, unable to keep the pained grunt at bay when she squeezed tighter than I could handle. Instantly she backed off, rushing to fetch me a glass of water whilst choking on a sob.

She loved me.

She truly cared about my wellbeing, and she loved me. Like her own daughter. She felt an odd bond to me, which I had no memory of.

I felt a pang of guilt.

I didn't love her. I just felt an obligation. A role to fill as her daughter in return for taking me in.

I must have been worrying her a lot lately. Car accident. Night of rebellion (though it was to technically save a life) where I completely vanished from town without any warning messages. And now this, being stuck in hospital with almost crippling damage done to my body. I might as well have asked the hospital for a private room specially reserved to me permanently, considering how often I appeared to visit.

I received several visitors over the next few days, thankfully none of them were Damon. Sid came by, astonished at my luck. He kept me occupied, told me about his day, brought his Gameboy for me to play. Benjamin brought apple pie and sat with me for a while after I texted him why I wouldn't be going to school for the next week or so, possibly longer. He was a little awkward trying to comfort me at first, but then we just chatted. He brought me homework as I requested, seeing as the only form of keeping my mind mildly entertained was sketching in the pad Karen bought me.

I was still grounded, but she lifted a good few weeks from the punishment, limiting it quite generously- trying to cheer me up I supposed. But I wasn't complaining. Hey, more freedom- and water under the bridge.

But it wasn't over yet. I had to be cautious. Damon knew I was aware of vampires, especially his existent. I was a liability to have in this town. In his head, I could easily lift the facade he built with Liz and reveal him for what he truly was. Maybe he'd mention this to Stefan. But I knew he wouldn't deal with me yet, he would be stalled with Frederick kidnapping his baby brother. I had more time to think. I was safe, for now. But he was right, I couldn't stay in this hospital forever.

He could easily find my home. Compel Karen. Maybe rip her spine out through her skull. Threaten me. Demand what I knew and how I knew of vampires. I had to get a story straight. One that would easily block his lie detector. If I told him the truth and twisted it slightly… that was better than just telling him hey yeah so you're a character in this TV show I used to religiously watch and I know everything about you he'd assume I was terminally ill and I hit my head harder than I thought.

I could claim I was a seer. Someone clairvoyant. But either he'd think me lying, or fancy me a witch. It would be so much easier if I could spin a brilliant story about being psychic. Obviously, it didn't work that way.

The doctor mentioned I might have to use a cane to walk around, due to the mild fracture in my hip. Which was fantastic- but I merely grumbled like a grouchy old man and nearly snatched the basic supporting weight from his hands, staring down at it reluctantly. There was a twinge of cold resentment and self-depreciation, before I pushed it aside.

I wouldn't be able to walk yet, he told me. I would have to do physical therapy. Stay in the hospital for a week, at least.

On the bright side…. I'd have the time to come up with a story.

It's if Damon would believe me- is the tricky part.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Unforeseen**

* * *

Day 31

* * *

This certainly was a surprise.

Among my many visitors after my accident, a familiar girl with dark brown hair and chocolate eyes wandered slowly into my room after racking her knuckles on the door. I told her to come in and sat up, curious as to why the important Elena Gilbert was paying me a visit.

"Hi," she greeted politely, a genuine smile on her face. "I'm sorry for just… showing up. I know you don't know me that well." understatement of the century. I had to stop myself from bursting into laughter at the absurdity. "I wanted to talk to you…" her features sobered up slightly. "You… talked with Damon?"

Ah.

So he spread the news of my knowledge to the precious Elena?

Logical. I'd assume he would anyway. If not Damon... then Stefan would most likely have told her. I was an unknown. They'd want to protect her, not sure about me. And Elena, the ever curious being she was- decided to make an opinion on me herself. Either that, or reach out to me.

There was no point beating about the bush. "By talking if you mean him trying to compel me, then threatening to break my fingers if I didn't tell him what I knew- then yes. I talked to him."

"I'm sorry about Damon," she instantly apologised on his behalf. "He's-"

"A dick? A psychopathic egomaniac?" I satirically shrugged. "Cthulhu in disguise?"

She cracked a small smile at that. "I take it that you are somehow aware of what he… is?"

He had most likely already told her too, and if he didn't- he would. I'd need a cover story, for them to understand how I knew and I had no idea how to get it across without seeming like I was lying about it. Damon obviously could tell when I was lying. If I kept hush, hush about the state of my origins, he could just interrogate me by torture. Hopefully Stefan wouldn't let that happen, but even he would be asking me what and how I came to learn of vampires.

I could just say I was attacked by one, and have known ever since about their existence because he forgot to compel me and I just did research, a hell of a lot of reading and documentaries. I could also say I met another vampire, less hostile. Then I wasn't technically lying. I would be twisting the truth. Either that, or I'd just keep my own secrets to myself. Refuse to answer and claim it was an emotional, bad experience.

I decided to be blunt. "Yes."

"And Stefan?"

Really? She has to ask?

Maybe I was in a grouchy mood and this drama was ticking me off, too tired for her random visit, I blatantly used a flat tone. "Duh."

"Right, stupid question," She laughed softly. "Sorry, it's just, a lot has happened these past couple days."

You don't say.

"Really? I thought getting attacked and threatened by vampires was part of the norm these days." I semi-joked. To be fair, it technically was in Mystic falls. If you didn't get affected by anything supernatural- that's weird.

"As much as I don't want to agree with that, sadly you are right. There's only so many that you can pass off as animal attacks before even the people suspect something."

"Kinda hard to ignore someone nomming on your neck." I stated. "Well, I say nomming- I mean tearing a literal chunk of flesh off."

She winced, eyes darting to the thick bandages that wrapped around my neck. It had been a major source of discomfort, and insanity lately, considering how uncomfortable it felt and how often the nurses had to change it. It hadn't been an easy wound to mend.

If anything, I wanted to kidnap Stefan and use his miraculous healing blood.

It was also itchy, which made me more irritable, seeing as I couldn't remove it and scratch.

"Any chance I can borrow some of your boyfriend's blood?" I joked, then squeezed my eyes shut at the sudden stab of pain that had accompanied the faint, rumbling laughter.

"I'm so sorry… that can't happen." She said, head lowered apologetically. As much as I wanted to sigh or snap at her in annoyance, I could see that she was being genuine, and thus held myself back. Getting on the bad side of one who happened to be on good terms with two vampires would probably be very detrimental to my health. "It's… well-"

"Sacred?" I guessed with a sliver of humour. "Only goes to the chosen ones?"

"Unsafe," she said. "It's just that, your injuries are rather severe, fractured bones, a missing chunk of flesh amongst other things. If they were to heal overnight, let's just say that the attention will be very unwanted for everyone involved."

She had a fair point but- "And how would they know it's the Salvatore's? There are other vampires in town. Anyone of them could have done it."

"No, but they are going to be watching you closely more likely. And since we attend the same high school…"

"Uh-huh." I felt bitter. But also knew it would be too suspicious if I randomly become uncrippled in the span of 24 hours. Or it'll end with professors from Harvard and Oxford clamming for the honor of doing all kinds of experiments on me to figure out the mystery of how I healed so inhumanly quickly.

Again, as much as the situation was scary- I was getting more pissed off than anything.

"So how did you learn about the existence of the supernatural?"

Ah. There it was. The age old golden question worth a billion dollars.

"I'm psychic." I was being sarcastic but she seemed to take it seriously. Not surprising. Seeing as she had a witch as a best friend.

"You're a witch?" She was surprised if anything. I could have gone with it but knew it would come bite me in the arse.

"No, you special snowflake." I sighed, tapping a finger on my knee. "It's complicated and hard to explain- it's more like I can't."

"If I have a dollar for every time I heard that in the past couple weeks…"

Right. She had a habit of putting her nose where it didn't belong.

Everyone did in some respect, but she had rotten luck.

Stefan was protecting her. Though I could see why it would be a bit annoying to be kept out the loop. "I'm sure there's a reason for it."

"I'm sure they have," she sighed theatrically before turning back to regard me. "You don't seem to have any animosity towards the vampires, even after one of their kind attacked you."

I suppose I did seem more casual than others. Mainly because I knew them. Was I underreacting? Maybe. Should I have been screaming and running around like a panicking headless chicken? Possibly. But after being unwillingly thrown to a fictional TV series in another dimension, not a lot could shock me into a jittering coma. Not that I could relay that to her.

"Only the bastard who decided to detach part of my neck." I twitched. If I got my hands on him… Well, I'd probably be thrown again for round two. But I couldn't help imagine taking one of Alaric's vervain grenades and shoving up his arse. "And obviously, I'm not Damon's biggest fan. But I suspect I'm not the only one."

She stared at me inertly. "You… have a history with him?"

For fuck sake.

"No." I nearly rolled my eyes. "I happen to not be fond of people who are incredibly eager to snap my fingers. Usually other people aren't either, and he strikes me as the type to kick a pregnant woman if it gets him his way." I rose an eyebrow. "Unless you are fond of that type of person."

Which, I know she is.

"I don't think he will go that extreme."

"Then you evidently can't read people very well." I dryly stated my opinion. Pretty sure he killed that one pregnant woman. "I don't have to be psychic to know he's bad news."

"So I've been told,"

"If it's been repeated various times, perhaps you should actually try to heed their voices then." I dryly stated. I had always been a little miffed at her stubbornness. "Seeing as they're probably repeated for a good reason."

She frowned, her forehead creasing as her mouth opened for a rebuttal, only to be interrupted by the sharp ringing from her phone. My eyes flickered down to her purse.

"Sorry," she stood up, pushing her chair back as she fished her phone out. The frown on her face deepened as she saw the number on it, quickly moving over to the corner of the room to pick up the call.

"Boyfriend trouble?"

She raised a hand to cut me off, the creases on her forehead deepening as she spoke in low, harsh whispers. I strained my ears, edging myself as much can as I possibly could towards her so I could better make out the words she's saying.

"Damon?"

Damon. Of course, speak of the devil and he shall appear.

I couldn't help but notice that Elena's tone is a little cooler than usual.

"No, I'm outside... wait why?"

Grunting slightly, I tried to sit up on the bed, only to be stopped by a sharp stab of pain in my chest. Glowering at nothing in particular, I moved my hand to the small control panel beside the bed, pressing down on a button that would lift the bed up to a seated position.

The look of concern that flashed through Elena's eyes didn't set me with ease. Anything Damon had to call her about, any cause of Elena's worry usually meant something bad. Gritting my teeth, I ignored the pain. "What is it?"

Her face paled by at least several shades, her chest rising and falling in rapid motions as her breathing accelerated. "Is he... oh my god, I'll be right there- no I'll be fine, I'll head over."

I had to guess it was to do with Stefan. Did he get kidnapped? Nonetheless, her ignoring me was rather irritating. "Elena."

"Sorry," she fumbled with her phone for a quick second before hanging up and putting it in her pocket. "I… I got to go."

"Is it a mundane or supernatural problem again?" I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.

"It's not- oh right," she took a breath. "You already know."

"Wonderful. Glad you remembered." I adjusted in my bed, trying not to pull on the tubes. "Are you going to inform me now?"

"It's..." her breath hitched, "Stefan, he's... I don't know, someone went after him and he's hurt. I... I need to go."

All this vagueness was frustrating. She hated to receive it but loved to give mysterious, indeterminate answers. She was a hypocrite.

"What's wrong with him?" Was he kidnapped? Or just injured? I couldn't outright question if he was held captive by Freddie-boy. It would come off as just a tad crazy and suspicious.

Wait a minute.

Stefan's kidnap happened the day after his house was broken into. It had been more than a week, almost two.

"He's injured, bad. Damon's watching over him right now, I got to go."

"He's…" I swallowed harshly. He didn't get kidnapped?

This was… different. I changed something else? Was it for the bad or good?

Guessing from the argument over the phone and my knowledge on their characters, Damon had told Elena to stay here. And knowing Elena, she didn't listen to anyone except herself. She would most likely get herself into a bad situation where she couldn't protect herself. If Damon or Stefan couldn't do it, I wouldn't be able to convince her to stop diving headfirst into the chaos. It frustrated me, so I sharply exhaled through my nose.

"Wait."

"What?" She asked, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"Hand me my bag." I ordered sternly, casting the said object a pointed glance. A little impatient, but a flicker of confusion flashed across her pretty features. She shuffled over to the chair it was situated on and passed it to me, I dug around, then casually held out one of my carved stakes to her. "At least take this."

She was an idiot, but she might as well have been a prepared idiot.

She slightly gawked at the stake in her hands, but the perplexed scepticism melted over her look of surprise. "I'm not going vampire hunting."

I felt my eye twitch. "I know, but that doesn't give you cause to be an idiot. It's a gift. If you're involved with vampires, you're going to need at least some form of protection to stay alive. Hide it in your sleeve. Always keep it on you, even when you go to the bathroom, put it under your pillow when you're sleeping, strike the heart, etcetera. Just be smart."

I'm probably a bad example, considering that I did all of the above and got punted away like a ball.

But she did have something I didn't.

Two vampire brothers pining over her. Salvatore's, at that.

Not to mention a witch as a best friend- though where Bonnie was, I didn't know. The last thing I remembered her texting me was something about a funeral. It didn't take long to connect the dots.

I didn't owe her anything really, but I supposed it was inevitable before I got dragged into this mess. One didn't live in Mystic Falls and live a normal life forever.

We both jumped when something slammed itself against the door with great force. The sound was almost deafening, a great crash that rattled the entire frame of the door and caused it to crack slightly. A splash of red stained the small window on the door, it's surface cracked.

Shit.

I craned my head, listening for any sounds in some vain hope to figure out what just happened, or what's going on outside. None. Just the constant monotonic beep of the monitor beside me that kept track of my vitals. A phone rang outside, its ringing continued to echo off the walls of the hospital as it went unanswered.

A voice was heard on the other side of the door, the sound muffled and electronically filtered, as though it was spoken through a mike. Or a loudspeaker. "Officer Davis, please repeat your last."

Silent reigned. The phone outside rang again, only to be cut short by a loud crunch.

"Davis, please repeat your last. What the hell is going on over there?"

The knob turned.

Oh god…

Dread tightened like a vice around my heart.

I couldn't do anything. I couldn't defend myself. Not from this bed. I didn't know if I would survive this, but it was leaning toward the negative.

A body tumbled through the doorway as the door creaked open, it's hinge roughly bent. I recognised him, vaguely. One of Forbes' deputies, his uniform stained crimson and neck torn open. Elena slapped her hands against her mouth, barely managing to stifle her scream as she stumbled away from the door. "Davis, say somethin-"

Another crack, before the crushed remains of a walkie was tossed into the room with us.

"Ah," my blood chilled at the sneering, mocking tone. I recognised that voice. "Stefan's little bitch."

Frederick.

"Oh." It took on a more surprised turn. I forced myself to unwaveringly meet his wolfish gaze. "You? This is turning out much better than I had thought."

I bitterly smiled. Despite my sickeningly sweet exterior, I could feel my insides flipping upside down. "You owe my mother a car."

"Your mother is going to need another daughter," he coolly said, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to keep his anger and lust for vengeance in check. "After I'm done with the Salvatore whore of course."

"What do you want with me?"

I wanted to throw the glass of water from the side at Elena. What do you think he wants? To catch a movie with you?

"To hurt the Salvatores, but since that has proven to be much harder than I thought, I'll just hand them your body. Limb by limb."

"That was a given." I muttered whilst Elena paled tremendously. I fiddled with the lid of the vervain bottle in my hand underneath the sheets. Wait for it. Timing is essential.

Bastard had to die.

"You don't have to do this." Elena's voice had shook as she pleaded, taking a step back out of reflex, closer to my bed. "Please, just, don't hurt her, don't- you don't have to-"

"You're right," his smile turned into an expression of poorly suppressed anger. "I don't."

He flashed across the room, crossing the room in barely a fraction of a second. Elena's fast, I confess, before remembering that this wasn't the first hostile vampire that she dealt with. Her reflex was much quicker than mine, quickly raising the stake up to her chest level, and found herself hauled off her feet and slammed against the wall beside the bed.

"Too slow," he taunted, twisting her weapon arm painfully, wrenching it down and bringing his knee up against the back of her elbow.

The sound of bone breaking was purely sickening. I flinched, grimaced and had to briefly turn my head away. Elena shrieked in agony, lifting her head and screaming until her throat sounded raw.

Christ.

I brought my arm up as back I could, winding it back to throw the vervain bottle at the vampire, only for my efforts to be foiled by a sharp stab of pain below my wrist. The IV drip, I realized with growing horror, frantically trying to tug it off and free my arm. Beside me, the heartbeat monitor went wild, beeping loudly in alarm at my sudden spike in blood pressure.

A crushing grip wrapped itself around my hand. "No, you don't," the vampire said. Then the pressure around my wrist increased, my fingers going numb as I screamed, the bottle slipping from my now nerveless hand as it shattered onto the ground.

"You sure you don't wanna let bygones be bygones?" I strained, body tense, trying not to cry out.

"No."

"Sucks for you." I wheezed out.

"Funny aren't you," the pressure around my wrist increased, causing me to cry out and whimper, the pain insurmountable. "You gave me a lot of trouble last time we met when all I wanted was a little drink."

"Turns out one can get a little..." I gripped tightly onto the sheets to avoid screaming. "Cranky if treated like a juice box."

Even when in pain, my lip did not cease. I didn't know if my coping mechanism tendencies towards levity was a curse or a gift.

His face twisted. Before I could regret mouthing off to him, the world flipped, walls had became ceilings and ceilings became walls for a second as I suddenly found myself falling. Pain became my sole existence when I landed violently on the ground, my chest and hips crying out loudly in protest of this rough treatment. My nose burned excruciatingly in consequence of sudden removal of the tubes inserted into them to help me breath, blood pooling inside my mouth as I groaned, a wet gurgling sound.

He... fuck, he flipped the bed from right under me.

"You're lucky," I felt him step on the back of my elbow, threatening to snap it in the same way as he did with Elena's. The said girl was lying beside me, curled up in a fetal position, her eyes listless and mouth opening and closing in silent agony. "You're not who I came for, so I'll just take your head. Put it in a sack and dump it outside your front door, or the Salvatore's perhaps." The pressure lifted, drawing a sigh, or a choked cough of relief from me as I spat out the blood in my mouth. "Her, on the other hand..."

Elena's eyes widened for a split second before he grabbed a fistful of her hair hoisted her up. Her right arm hung limply at her side, bent at the wrong angle. "My, you do look just like Katherine, no wonder those two bastards are salivating all over you. What say you, should I give them a finger first or the whole arm?"

"I say you let her go," a familiar voice smoothly intercepted, my heart soared. "I promise I won't demand that you reimburse my broken window."

Damon Salvatore.


	12. Chapter 12

**Again, huge thanks to Charlie019 for all the damn detailed help and such. Check him out ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Short-lived Saviours**

* * *

I didn't think that hearing Damon's voice would come as a relief to me, as it did.

I knew he wasn't here for me. He didn't care. Elena was priority. But I had indifference to it, apathetic to the cause of his presence and just happy he was here to deal with this leech. I almost gave a snarky comment but held my tongue. It wasn't that I could anyway, I coughed up another splatter of blood, the metallic taste becoming rather unpleasant in my mouth.

"Salvatore!" He carelessly dropped Elena, drawing another pained cry from her she nearly landed on her broken arm. "Just the man I was looking for. How's your brother?"

"I can't even begin to imagine how orgasmic it would feel if I were to rip your heart right out of your damned chest," Damon said, shaking his head. "You are out of your mind, attacking a public hospital."

"Worried that your position on the Council is jeopardized?" He mocked.

They started to circle each other, sizing their opponent. A ruthless dance beginning to unfold. Damon wasn't wearing his usual trade-mark smirk. There was something darker crackling in his icy stare, the ghost of a sneer twitching. "You just killed us all. Do you honestly think that this is the same world you left behind two centuries ago? You just brought the whole goddamned town down on our heads."

He tilted his head slightly, a satirical smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Worried about some halfwit with a pitchfork?"

Frederick is even more stupid than I thought he was.

"If only you know how much the world has changed," Damon said softly, not breaking contact.

It happened fast, my eyes barely capable of keeping up with their supernatural speed. From what I can see, Damon literally vanished, disappeared into thin air, then what looked like an invisible force picked Fredrick up and slammed him against the wall. The tremendous force shook the room, the wall cracking underneath the pressure and causing a spiderweb of cracks to expand in every direction. Dust and plaster rained down from the ceiling as the two threw each about the room like ragdolls in a terrifying display of supernatural strength. I almost wanted to shout that me and Elena were still in the room, and that they should be more careful before we both ended up as collateral.

A sudden shout of surprise, and I found myself looking at three vampires in my tiny ward, with Damon sandwiched between the other two, his arm twisted behind his back.

"Did you honestly think I came alone?"

"No," Damon hissed venomously, "that's why I brought friends."

"Frie-" another blur picked him up and smashed him violently against the window, shattering it as he flew threw it and into the corridors, dragging the shutters along with him. The second vampire barely had time to react before someone clubbed him across the back of the head with a keyboard, causing it to snap into half, it's keys dislodged and scattering across the room. The vampire slumped forward, straight into Damon's hand, a swift jerk sending him sprawling onto the floor with his neck bent almost backwards.

Damon picked up IV drip stand, breaking off it's end to make himself a long metallic spear, tossing it at the newcomer who snatched it out of the air. I felt my heart stop when I finally got a good look at who he, no, she was.

Dark blonde, sharp chinned, Matt fucking Donovan's sister.

What the hell?

She's alive?!

"Get Elena out of here," Damon ordered, "leave these idiots to us."

My thoughts raced at this, blood electrified as it ran through my veins.

Vicki was alive.

Vicki was alive.

I didn't know what this meant- my presence obviously had more of an effect than I thought it would. I obviously did something. Something right. Matt's sister wasn't dead. In fact- she was a vampire, fair, but she was still here. She wasn't dead, and that thought was unnerving as well as exciting.

Actually, what the fuck did I do? I don't remember even seeing Vicki, not even in school. How? I was grounded during that Halloween Party where she was supposed to die.

Vicki Donovan nodded curtly, her eyes wide as she tried to get her breathing back under control. Ignoring Elena's cry of pain, she threw her arm over her shoulder, sparing the briefest glance at me before she blurred out of sight, the sounds of another window breaking in her wake.

Did… did she just jump out of the fucking- wait, what about me?!

Fuck.

Of course they wouldn't care.

I was the stranger. The uncertainty. The unknown.

Probably just a loose end, since I knew what they were.

My life, my knowledge, it all just threatened their very existence.

Even if I got out of here, how would I explain to them how I grew to know of their existence? Damon could tell when I was lying. No doubt other vampires could too, if they heard my heart and breathing. They all had lie detectors installed into them automatically. Even so, they could remove my vervain and use compulstion.

I almost felt a pang of envy that Elena was ever imperative as always, her safety and health was the most important thing in the world to the brothers and others here. However, I knew this was rule. This was normal in the world of Vampire Diaries. It wasn't her fault she made people around her fall in love with her personality and kindness. It was just a little annoying.

If I could have I would've put my hand up, yelling and screaming about my own predicament. With a disgruntled, pained groan, I spat the blood to the side on the floor and strained my other arm, trying to desperately climb out from underneath the tilted flipped bed. Without the machine, my breath was far more laboured and there was a tight pressure on my chest, an uncomfortable weight pushing down on my sternum. I hadn't received help from the vampires, and felt a bitter taste in my mouth other than my own blood.

I'll take care of myself then, no worries guys. Just on the floor, in a puddle of my own blood, nothing to worry about. A snarl appeared on my face at them momentarily, irritated at their ignorance. I was trying my best to crawl out of range from their fight, leaving a smeared, small trail of red behind my body. A whimper escaped me, I pressed my forehead against the cold, soothing floor.

Mothertrucker, this hurts.

Another loud crash outside, drawing a growl from Damon as he stomped over to the doorway and yanked the door right off it's hinge, carrying it as though it weighed like nothing and using it as riot shield of some kind. "This is the worst day ever," I heard him mutter, bending over to pick up the dead deputy's gun.

I let out a wheezed, pained snort from my position on the floor. "You don't say."

"For the record, this is all your fault," he shot back childishly, stepping outside. Whilst I was relieved he was here to kill Frederick, just like that, I wanted to punch him again.

How the hell was this my fault?

Elena came here. Meaning that Frederick followed her. Meaning, it was technically her fault.

True enough, I poked the shark with a pointy stick when Frederick tried to chomp down on me, but what was I supposed to do? Let him? Hell no, I didn't take kindly to leeches, especially him.

A succession of loud, ear splitting cracks of gunfire quickly ensured, leaving me jumping at every shot as I cowered as far as I possibly could away from the door, applying as much pressure on my arm as possible when I could from the ripped out cannula to stop the bleeding, curled against the wall in the corner, pressing my head against the surface.

A nearby speaker came to life, momentarily crackling before a voice came over the intercom. "Attention, attention," the voice sounded calm, yet strained, wavering with effort as whoever it was tried to keep their composure. "Code Silver, Code Silver, Level Three Corridor B. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. All persons inside the hospital, please follow the staff's instructions-" A loud slam came from the other end of the speakers, drawing a short curse from whoever's on the intercom. "-uck! Evacuate the hospital, use all exits- hold the door! Jesus Christ, hold the fucking-"

What the fuck just happened in there?

I didn't have time to dwell on it for long.

I couldn't help but release a rather loud, dirty string of curse words that would have made a sailor blush when the right wall came apart in a shower of dust and concrete as a bloodied figure flew through the newly created human sized crater on its surface. Thankfully, none of it hit me, the flipped bed having shielded me from the worst of it. The body, however, was slumped over the side of the bed, giving me a nightmarish view and first hand demonstration on how a vampire's body dedicates after their death, a gaping hole in the center of its chest.

I swallowed thickly. My hand clenched to a numbingly tight grip around my other arm once the bleeding stopped on the other one, knuckles draining of colour.

Just when I thought I couldn't be surprised any further, Lexi stumbled through the hole in the wall. Supported by Alaric Saltsman, of all people, with her arm around the burly man's neck. And a three foot long metal pole impaled through her abdomen, and holding a still beating heart in her hand.

What. In. The. World.

"Fucking Christ." I sputttered. "Holy motherfuck in a duck." I incredulously said in a heavy daze, staring in shock, my jaw struggled not to drop and my eyes were wider than before. My voice conveyed my immense disbelief and confusion. "L-lexi?"

No matter how eccentric my phrasing got, the situation was still unbelievably, inexplicably surreal.

Why- How- What-?!

She ignored me, squeezing her eyes shut as Alaric placed her against the wall. "Just… yank that thing out."

"Yank it- are you nuts?"

My head swirled, I couldn't tell if it was from the blood loss, the sudden assault or this event playing before my eyes. Maybe a mix of all three. What has my life become?

"I'm a fucking vampire, yank it out damn it-!" She screamed, a loud and drawn out cry of agony when Alaric actually went ahead and yanked it out.

"Sorry," he said, not actually sounding apologetic in the slightest. Outside, I could hear the distant wails of sirens. Lots of them, getting louder and louder by the second. My eyes seemed to get even wider, to the point I was slightly paranoid they'd fall out. Crap.

My stomach flipped when Damon reappeared by the doorway, still holding onto the door he repurposed, now heavily battered and half it's original size. He limped through the doorway and wincing slightly. "So," he wheezed, "this isn't going well."

"She's hurt," Alaric said, motioning at Lexi, whose skin was now several shades paler than normal. Her hands fell slightly from her abdomen, a tinge of pink clearly visible before Alaric replaced her hands with his, trying to keep her intestines inside the body. I gritted my teeth, but made no comment on it outloud. Oh god that's gross…

I didn't save Lexi just for her to die.

"Give her to me," Damon instructed, throwing aside what's left of the door as he bent down beside the deputy's corpse, lifting him up by the shoulders. "Oh, don't give me that look, if she doesn't drink-" his face twisted into one of disgust, the Salvatore vampire dropping the body back onto the ground as he stood up, giving the corpse a kick to the side. "Vervained," he spat, giving the body another kick.

"Aren't there are blood bags in the hospital?" I spoke up, gaining their attention.

"Oh that's a great idea," he rolled his eyes, "never mind the fact that there's still seven of them outside." He turned to Alaric. "How many more of those vervain darts you got left?"

He didn't have to answer. Just by the deep-set frown on Alaric's face, it already gave Damon his answer. Distracted, I dove into my bag, reaching for the other stake before rolling it out onto the floor with a pained grunt, along with the other vervain vial I had with me, they both turned their heads. I knew it didn't hurt to have a spare with me.

"It's not much, I know." I grimaced, grunting out a wheeze before adjusting myself on the wall to be more comfortable. "But take them."

I knew it was very risky to show him what I had, and also so stupid- but he'd make a lot better use of it than I would. We were in a tricky situation, I didn't have much choice.

"Huh," he looked at Alaric as he picked up the vial. "Didn't know you got yourself an apprentice already."

"I don't have apprentices," Alaric shot back, eye furrowing in slight recognition. "Sofia Howlett?"

Ah. This inevitable, slightly awkward meeting. Damon wasn't going to be the only one demanding answers after this was over. I threw up a weak hand, then wiggled my fingers, almost sheepish. "Hi, Mr. Saltzman."

His mouth opened questioningly, but an agonised whimper from Lexi drew his attention back to the matter at hand. "What about her? Is she going to be fine?"

"She's a vampire," Damon waved dismissively, breaking off another rod of metal from the handle of the hospital bed. "We can survive being disemboweled. Even if it does kill us we'll just come back to life."

"-go… to hell," Lexi gasped, her legs trembling violently as she slowly slid down the wall, supported by Alaric.

"Think you can make the jump out of the window?" Damon asked, not taking his eyes away from the door.

Lexi nodded feebly, whimpering as she forced herself back onto her feet. "We're... leaving...?"

"Too many of them for my comfort," Damon grunted, leaning out of the doorway to toss the vial down the corridor. A distant scream was heard. "Not to mention I'd rather be as far away as possible before the whole Sheriff's department come down on our heads."

"Salvatore!"

"God, he's annoying," he rolled his eyes again. "He's worse than a cat after stepping on their tail, forever vengeful until the ends of time. Window, now!"

Damon barely took a step away from the door before he found himself hurled up against the ceiling, shattering the light fixtures and plummeting the ward into darkness. Another blur zipped in and collided into Alaric, the impact causing his entire chest to cave in before he collapsed, lying motionless on the ground. Lexi fell to the ground, screaming. I knew she'd be fine, but I was stunned by the wrenching sight of the history teacher, trying not to heave. Bile crawled up my throat, but I thickly swallowed.

My eyes frantically searched his hand, and relief spread through me, replacing the numbed feeling of shock. His ring was on.

He was okay.

"You know..." Damon choked out as Frederick lifted him up by the neck one handed. "You never really did tell me why you hate us so much. Can't we just sit down and talk this over a can of beer?"

"After you took almost two hundred years away from me?" He sneered, his face twisted with hot rage, dark veins extending down from his eyes and down to his cheeks.

"And you broke my window. But I forgive you." The dark haired idiot said nonchalantly, sounding slightly gurgled from the tightening of Frederick's hand. "Let's not focus on the details."

That mouth is going to get him killed one day.

I could say the same thing about me.

Frederick's lips widened slightly, monstrous sharp fangs clearly visible before he pulled Damon back slightly just to slam him back against the wall, nearly smashing another human shaped hole in it. The loud roar of gunfire down in the streets below stopped him before he could actually punt Damon through the wall.

"W-well…" Damon coughed, his voice wet. "I did warn you about the humans. Surprise surprise, they actually grew teeth while you were napping."

Frederick snapped his head back to Damon, plunging his hand straight inside the latter's chest. "Was going to take my time with you, guess I'll just have to make this quick."

"W-wait!"

It took me a second before I realised that the voice was mine, loud and panicked. My heart was racing when his head darted over to my direction, flames glistening in his gaze. I also briefly caught those blue eyes flickering at me, confusion flashing across his features.

Damon can't die.

"Oh don't you worry, I hadn't forgotten about you." He turned to the other vampire in the room with him. "Throw her out of the window."

Oh fuck.

"Stop!" I yelled out, inhaling a shuddering breath. The pressure on my chest grew. The other vampire barely took more than a step before something exploded out of his chest.

I gasped, turning away slightly at the sight of the wooden end of a broom stuck out from the front of his chest, with white rib splinters around it, blood dripping off its tip. My nose crinkled, and my stomach churned at the sight of Stefan- who was suddenly standing there, his eyes bloodshot, with inhuman veins running down his face, elongated fangs clearly visible from behind his lips, twisted into one of beastial rage.

My heart skipped a beat.

There was a strange amalgamation between the comforting relief, followed by disgust and a morbid sense of joy, before a gradual, cold sliver of fear drowned out my thoughts, hitching my breath.

Vampire. A corpse reanimated by an undeparted soul or a demon that feeds on the blood of the living.

Vampire. Emotionally and physically enhanced humans, bloodsuckers, cursed souls.

In the darkness of the ward, occasionally illuminated by flickering lights and the constant bark of gunfire going off in the distance, they were demons of the night. Their scleras a deep crimson color, twin orbs of blood staring out from the dark, jawline painted red in the color of their victims, a rabid snarl on their lips. Monsters reborn from the nightmares of man.

A momentary blur, quickly followed by the loud crack of bone breaking quickly saw Frederick howling in pain as Damon fell to the ground, like a puppet with its strings cut, hands tightly clutched around the hole in his chest. Without wasting a second, Stefan was onto Frederick, his wooden spear impaling the other vampire through the front of his chest.

There was a lull that lasted a full second after Stefan dealt the undeniably fatal blow to the other vampire, both men staring at each other with mirroring expressions of rage. Frederick faltered first, his brain finally catching up to the fact that he was dying. He lurched forward with what's left of his strength, arms flailing as he tried to claw at Stefan in one final act of defiance. His efforts were met with a sneer, before he gasped in pain as Stefan lifted him off the ground, planting his re-purposed spear into the ground, coldly watched as Frederick slid down the pole.

Frederick lifted his head, his skin beginning to wither as he slowly desiccated he didn't beg as I hoped he would, nor did he show any signs of fear at his impending death, an expression of hatred permanently chiseled on his face. Then, he shuddered, a wheeze escaping his lungs, limbs twitching before he finally went still.

"H-how…" Damon asked weakly, staggering onto his feet. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but how are you up and walking already?"

"Took some of your blood bags," he said, flinching at a coming loud boom at the floor below us. I stared at him. What? Dammit. This meant semi-ripper Stefan was going to appear no matter what, crap. "Where's Elena?"

"What, no 'my god, Damon, my dear brother, you are hurt!'" Despite the conditions I choked on a wry scoff, but then groaned at the pain it caused. "She's fine, Vicki got her out, I'm fine too, thanks for asking, so is Lexi and Alaric. Well, not really, Alaric's dead but hey, he'll come back fine as ever and Lexi needs lots of blood. Your science partner is here too, cowering behind the overturned bed while the grown ups settle their differences." He winced, hissing as his hand shot back to his chest. "Fuck me, this hurts like hell."

Oh yeah, sure, I could have helped. Christ, Damon. What was I supposed to do? Break my arms at them and further cripple myself? Irritated at the comment, I rose an arm above the bed, lifting my middle finger as a response.

Asshole.

"Cute," I heard his droll statement. "Come on now, my dear brother. We need to get out of here before we end up with fist sized holes in our chests," Damon dryly informed his sibling, hobbling over to Alaric and throwing him over his shoulders. "Grab Lexi, we have to go, now."

Stefan glanced over at me, a strange expression glazed over his face. "What about Sofia?"

"She's the only one the cops wouldn't shoot you idiot," Damon growled, punctuating his next sentence by jabbing his finger into Stefan's chest at every word. "We. Need. To. Leave."

I grunted. "You're leaving me here?"

"Yes," Damon interjected before Stefan could reply. "Last thing we need is the whole damned town questioning how the hell you got out of the hospital in the first place when you couldn't even walk straight." He peeked out of the door, only to duck back in when the door frame exploded into splinters with a loud boom that almost made my ears bleed.

"Over here, over here!"

"Check your target, watch for civilians!"

"Out!" Damon shouted, his voice muted thanks to the ringing in my ears. "Now!"

Damon vanished a blur, leaving nothing but faint blood trails behind him. Stefan hesitated, his expression perfectly schooled and guarded yet a clear trance of conflict could be seen in his eyes. I clenched my hand over my arm, heart tightening at the revelation he had to leave me behind- and knowing he would. My head craned to the right, averting my eyes from his. He had to leave, I knew that, but that didn't mean that I was happy about being left behind to deal with the fallout.

The loud, heavy thumping of footsteps in the hallway outside quickly made up his mind however, and he too blurred out of sight, carrying Lexi along with him.

The humans burst into the room shortly thereafter, clad head to toe in heavy ballistic vests. Most ended up pointing their firearms at the only living figure in sight.

Me.

Fuck.


	13. Chapter 13

_So glad you guys are enjoying! :D_

 _There will probably be multi partners on going, not sure how many or when, but as for long-term, I'm not sure yet, like I said, I'm seeing how her chemistry is with everyone first ;)_

* * *

 _Chapter 13: Fate_

* * *

 _ **Day 33**_

* * *

I sighed and held my head in my hands, closing my eyes.

I fucked up.

I fucked up badly.

What could possibly go wrong when one tries play God? Deciding who lives or dies because I felt like it would be better? Because I thought I would be helping, doing the right thing instead of sitting on the side and watching canon events play out? What could possibly go wrong? I never thought that far, and simply assumed that it would be a minor shift in events, that things would more or less stay the same. I was a fool, and now the answer laid itself right in front of me, black bold words staring right back at me, a silent condemnation.

 ** _Virginia Hospital Massacre._**

Below the words was a picture of the hospital I was in, heavily cordoned off by armored trucks and police cars, swarming with deputies, SWAT response teams and EMTs.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

There never was a public massacre on a scale like this in the show. The tomb vampires never paid the hospital a visit in the show. The tomb vampires kidnapped Stefan and brought him to a remote house in the middle of nowhere to torture. Somehow, that plan fell apart, so they decided to take matters into their own hands and go after Elena. And in the process compelled or outright murdered anyone who got into their way.

This was my fault.

They patched me up again when they found me and I could faintly hear gunshots in the background. I was picked up from the ground, guarded by a few cops as the random doctor quickly rolled me out of the hospital. I blacked out, either from stress or pain. Very possibly both. It wasn't relevant.

I woke up in a bed, my room different than before. I found out, the instant Karen learned of what happened, she had me transferred to another hospital. A smaller one closer to home. She seemed a little traumatised and it didn't surprise me. First I had a car accident, said to have retrograde amnesia, then I went 'missing' for a day, then I was attacked by Frederick and throw onto a fucking car- now there was a supposed terrorist attack. She almost lost me so many times already. I didn't have much emotion toward the woman seeing as she was still a stranger to me, but I did feel sorry for her.

Then there was Liz.

We'd had too many meetings for my liking.

I was suspicious, seen in two vampire cases now.

I wasn't happy. I wanted to go with the Salvatores so I didn't have to deal with the cops. In retrospect, I could understand why they left me. It was logical. I was a random human. Not worth the effort in compelling the entire staff that I never existed so they could feed me their blood. My brain came up with the classic, crazy idea to fake my death so I wouldn't have obligations and responsibilities. I wouldn't have to listen to Karen, I'd be free to go and leave Mystic Falls.

Thinking it through clearly however, I realised it wasn't the best plan. The concept was childish and fleeting. If I left, I'd be homeless. Karen supplied me free food. Shelter. A mother figure that offered free shit. I could have it a lot worse, I could have been starving on the streets and easy pickings for tomb vampires. I had an unwilling life built for myself here. False or no, it was mine. I couldn't just give it up so easily.

On the bright side Frederick was dead.

Fucking finally.

But it wasn't time for celebrations. Not yet. I had to fashion a logical excuse about how I knew about vampires, especially about vervain. I had to lie- and I had to lie so convincingly that even I, myself, believed it. Damon would be the most difficult to convince. If I could deceive him, then I would no longer need to worry.

But it was hard to bullshit a bullshitter.

For now, I needed to get a story straight because Liz was currently sitting opposed me, eyes giving a hard stare. There was a glint that concerned me, and when she silently placed a stake on the bedside table- my stake- the flicker in her expression became distinguishable; understanding. She didn't have to say anything. I completely understood.

I swallowed thickly.

Liz crossed a leg over the other, never ceasing the nearly withering gaze that was locked onto me. She knew that I knew, but didn't outright say anything. She wanted me to come clean by myself. She wanted me to admit it.

I could be stubborn as well.

"Well," she said, her voice cutting across the room like a knife. I bit down on my lips, managing to suppress the involuntary urge to flinch. "I suppose you know how this goes by now. Start talking."

The question held more weight for me than she knew. I struggled to come up with an answer and the air was thickening the more I stayed quiet. I constructed sentences, mind flickering through the files of explanations structuring around my brain. But even I couldn't cover this up, so I settled for, "you wouldn't believe me."

"Miss Howlett," I flinched at the professional, formal use of my surname. It sounded cold compared to our very first meeting. Distant. "We found three wooden stakes in your bag and a vervain bracelet. There's not one, nor two but three dead _**vampires** _ found in the same ward you were staying in. Your ward was the only one in the hospital that was utterly destroyed. What," her voice dropped into a low whisper, dripping with fury, "in the _hell_ happened?"

 _… three dead vampires…_

She _knows_.

I was starting to detest the Salvatores for leaving me to clean up their mess. Surely they realised how stupid it is to leave the one person who knew about their existence there to the police, and to a member of the council- who were responsible for killing their kind. What was I supposed to say to that? How was I going to get myself out of this fucking mess?

"You already know." I bluntly stated, keeping my answer as vague as possible. She couldn't know about Stefan and Damon yet. In time. But not yet. I couldn't screw more things up. "Vampires happened."

"Clearly," Sheriff Forbes said, an icy chill running down the back of my spine and settled in the base of my stomach at just how cold she sounded. It… didn't seem like her. "You're avoiding the question, you know a lot more about what happened than you are letting on, so start talking."

I clenched my jaw and turned my head away, gaze drifting to the window. How could I even begin to possibly explain without outing the Salvatores? It was impossible.

So don't. That was an option as well. Press being innocent. "What makes you think that I know anything about that mess at the hospital?"

"So it's all coincidental that your ward is the only one with a human shaped hole and craters in the wall, cracked ceilings and three dead vampires?"

"Yup." I popped the 'p' and crossed my arms.

"I see you intend to be difficult about this." When I didn't answer, Liz opened the file she held under her hand and took out a few pictures, placing them in front of me. "Do you know who they are?"

I had expected them to be pictures of some dead vampires, and that Forbes would want me to help identify who they were and where did they come from, or somewhere along those lines. Instead, I found myself looking at a family photo, a family of four seated on the porch swing.

Two pre-teens were facing the camera, the taller one had light blonde hair with striking green eyes and had her arm around the small one, who also had golden ringlets. A bunch of freckles adorned her face, big brown eyes gleaming with joy. She had big toothed smile.

"No," I denied after a while, and it was the truth. I had never seen them.

"The Henderson family," she said softly, "they live just a block away from the hospital. The parents owned the diner just across the street from the middle school, where both their girls attended."

"I... see?" I put the picture down, picking up another. This time it showed them cycling. "And why are you telling me this?"

I had a hunch. To make me feel guilty for the lives that were lost so I would corporate more. It worked a little, I was hit with another pang, a hitch in my breath had caught me off guard before I let out a gentle sigh.

She ignored my question, instead looking at the wall to my right. "Their youngest is currently in a critical condition and fighting for her life in the ward next to yours. The rest of the family lies on cold slabs in the town morgue."

In the dark corner of my brain that usually tried to lighten a situation for me- morbidly, the joke of human burritos or human juice boxes entered my mind. Patients snugly wrapped in blue blankets, ripe and warm for the vamps. I swatted the thought aside, deciding not to make the dark joke to the rather frustrated official. _Not the time, nor the place- definitely not the person._

The pang tightened. The conscience came whirling back with a hard swing at the imagined look that the girl would have upon waking. I identified with her a little, the empathy a dangerous emotion when I originally intended to distance myself at arm's length with the tragedy. I had to hand it to Forbes, she knew how to guilt trip.

"They were compelled, by one of the vampires trying to get away from our hunters. Compelled to slow us the officers down by any means necessary, to stop us, hinder our chase." Forbes turned back to me, her voice strained with barely contained fury and disgust. "By the time we realized our mistake, both parents were dead, the two girls dying from gunshot wounds that we have them because we thought they were vampires. By the time we got them to the hospital, only the youngest was still alive."

A bitter taste invaded my mouth. I swallowed and looked down at the fingernails I was picking.

The people that died didn't mean a lot to me, but I still felt the pang of guilt for the people related to the dead… as well as the heart wrenching grief and sorrow they would feel. There was a moment, a refusal of acknowledgement that _it's my fault_ _-_ then a squeeze of my gut at the distinct possibility that yes, it actually was.

But they were dead. It was done. Nothing I could do.

I squashed the small sense of dread that I was heartless and merely shook my head. I didn't know these people. It was hard to associate feelings of grief to those who I didn't have a bond with. I didn't cry. I didn't wail in angst about how I could have saved them or brood like Stefan. People reacted differently to different things. Just because I wasn't a wreck about it, didn't mean my 'emotions' were 'switched off' like the so called vampires could easily do.

 _I'm not that cold._

… but was it because of me? Did I do this? Just because I happened to be around for Frederick to take a nibble on and stabbed him, inevitably just pissing him off more than just saving my life.

Lexi survived. Vicki is still alive.

Did I do the right thing? Or have I already fucked things up beyond repair?

Vicki's presence had also stunned me into a stupor at the time. She was supposed to die. Why was she alive? Why was she here? Why was she _helping_? Granted she was a vampire still, but I must have changed something for her to keep living.

Was it because I saved Lexi?

By these little touches, would I be saving lives by killing the innocents around me? Was that the price to saving these 'main characters'? Killing the people who didn't do anything wrong? Maybe that's how the system worked. I could save people, but others would have to go in their place. An eye for an eye.

I was playing God, and it backfired.

I felt sick.

"Nineteen good people died that day, Sofia. Nineteen people, nineteen people whose only crime was because they were present at the wrong place at the wrong time. Nineteen people who died while those responsible are still out there, taking more lives because they see us as food."

"I don't know what you expect me to do." I clenched my jaw, flattening my hand along the table surface. It was done. They were _dead_. The towns vampires could still be roaming about. Maybe I shouldn't interfere anymore, if this is the kind of circumstances playing with fate has.

"I want you to start telling me what exactly happened back at the hospital," she snarled. "We found eight dead vampires that day, three of them _in_ your ward."

"I have nothing to do with those vampires." I calmly stated, doing my best not to snap. It wasn't exactly a lie. I didn't.

"No, but I think you know why they are there in the first place."

 _Fucking Salvatores._

I couldn't tell her, not without pushing them into the deep end. I shook my head, deeply inhaling and lowering my head. "I'm sorry but I can't help you."

She took a deep breath, teeth gritting as she stood up and paced slightly before staring out of the window. "Very well, Howlett. Here's what is going to happen. I have nineteen dead people lying in the city morgue, the Virginia state governor demanding answers, the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the eyes and ears of every news agency in the nation on our town, trying to get a good scoop on this latest tragedy of yet another mass murder that has been plaguing our country for the past decade. Every single last one of them want answers, or more specifically, a scapegoat they can lay the blame on."

She turned back to me. "One word, and that is all it will take for you to be taken into custody for knowingly harboring and withholding information about the mass murderer behind this massacre."

 _You've got to be kidding me._

 _Fucking. Salvatores._

This is _lot_ worse than I thought it would be.

"You wouldn't," my voice trembled. This wasn't the Forbes I knew. She had to be bluffing to get me to confess.

"You want to know the first words that came out of little Henderson's mouth when she woke? Not papa or mama, or any enquires about her sister, but about the blue eyed stranger who compelled her family to their deaths." She gave me a hard stare. "So yes, I _would_."

Blue eyed stranger.

Normally it wouldn't bother me. But the specific detail. Blue eyes. The words rang and echoed in my brain. Blue eyes. It could have been anyone. But my thoughts drifted to the familiar man with distinctive blue eyes. The vampire I knew had that specific, cobalt gaze. He would do anything to get his way, he didn't regard humanity as something worthy to live. At least, not right now.

Did… Damon do that?

Did Damon kill that girl's family?

A selfish, conceited and logical part of me. Squashed in the darkest corner of my personality, condoned the clever thinking, whilst the rest of me- the emotional and morally good part, disapproved. I wanted to oust him, seeing it as personal revenge for leaving me to deal with the fallout. Leaving me with the mangled hip when he had the means to heal me.

But, I knew the importance of their existence.

Stefan would be mad and he would also be put on the run. Elena would care, though not as much. They'd be forced to leave. Stefan would probably leave Elena to the clutches of Mystic Falls, indirectly killing her when Klaus came to collect. I wondered if I should care, if I should bother protecting her. All I wanted was to go home. Why was this my responsibility to make sure she lived? To help people? Keep characters living? Why had I appointed myself their personal guardian?

I didn't know why. But I knew I would most likely to continue to do it on the side, as I had the means. I had the knowledge. Knowledge was power. Even though so far, I seemed to be using it the wrong way. I wasn't used to this game, like Klaus was. Like Damon was. I hadn't been practising the skill for thousands or even just a hundred years. I had been at it for a tiny portion of a month- and badly at that.

More importantly, I didn't want to go to jail, arrested for a heinous crime I didn't do. I didn't want to be known as the girl who was partly responsible for a mass murder, didn't want to be, or let Karen be hounded by the media for a few words so they can boost their pathetic ratings.

"... they…" I felt my voice crack, tightness welling up in my throat as I swallowed. There was no way around this, not without getting myself into trouble with the federal law-

Wait.

No, there _is_. 

I wasn't completely stuck. They want me to tell them something, anything. Not everything.

"The vampires… they're from 1864."

"... what?"

Here I am, once again dangerously playing with fire, about to potentially change things for the good or worse. Too early to tell, so I could only pray it's the former. I picked my words carefully, the wheels in my head spinning as I quickly filtered through a list of what is safe and what is not safe for me to reveal.

And more importantly, what wouldn't set off Liz's warning bells and get me into an even deeper pit than the one I already dug for myself.

"Fell's Church? The ones you thought your ancestors killed over a hundred years ago? Those are the same vampires."

I admit, it gave me some sick pleasure to see Liz caught off guard. She probably hadn't expected me cooperate at all, or give in this easily. At best, she probably thought that she'll get a few names or locations to investigate out of me. What I just told her probably threw her off her rails, her posture terse as her mind ran over my words over and over.

"Yes, the same ones you thought died in Fell's Church when your ancestors burned it down."

"How?" She softly demanded. I'd give her that, she recovered quickly. "The doors and windows were heavily barred, how did they escape from the fire?"

"They didn't," I shot back, "they were buried in a tomb under the church. Someone opened it, and let them all out." I paused to let my words sink in, watching as the sheriff paled slightly. "And they are angry."

"You are telling me that the Fell's Church vampires never perished, that they were entombed beneath the church, and that recently someone had deliberately released them. All twenty seven of them."

When she put it that way, even I myself could see how far fetched that sounded. "I don't know the exact numbers, but you wanted to know what I knew. Now it's a matter of whether you believe me or not."

"Over twenty vampires is more than enough to break out of any tomb," she crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "Of course I'm having trouble believing you. No, there is still something you are not telling me. Spill."

Goddamnit Liz. I held back the powerful urge to snap in irritation. Why couldn't she be more incompetent?

"It's a magically sealed tomb," the words spilled before I even realized it, animosity quickly disappearing under the rising panic before I quickly squashed it down. Crap.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Magic," she deadpanned, "you're not doing any favors to yourself Sofia."

"This is one of the reasons I couldn't say anything." I laid my hands flat on my lap, nearly laughing at the predictability. "You think I'm crazy."

"You are asking me to put faith in the fact that magic is not only a myth, but a reality." She gave me a hard stare.

I almost wanted her to think I was crazy. It would be a lot easier for her to think me a little soft in the head since my 'incident' and let me go, deeming me innocent. But that would be too easy, of course.

"You can believe in mythical beings with super speed and super strength that drink human blood to survive, but not witches?" At her expression, I scoffed. "Of course, that's too ludicrous." The woman's stubbornness was almost admirable, but also a pain. "You wanted to know what I know, and there you have it, believe what you will."

The older woman didn't comment on my words, neither did she react to it. She didn't have to, her frigid glare telling me all that I needed to know. Once upon a time, I looked at her and saw a caring mother who did what she thought was best for Caroline, a woman who tried keep a balance between work and personal life as Mystic Falls slowly fell apart around her thanks to the machinations of the supernatural.

Now?

When I found myself staring back into her eyes, I saw nothing.

No irritation or anger, only firm resolution to get to the bottom of everything that had happened in the past couple days. Eyes that promised retribution.

I looked into those eyes, and I felt fear.

When she finally stood from her chair, and turned on her heel to walk out, the relief I felt was almost palatable. The door shut a bit too harshly, and I flinched.

 _You've screwed yourself again, Fia._


	14. Chapter 14

**Apologies that this chapter is shorter than normal. But I've hit a bit of a block if you hadn't already guessed from the short hiatus. But I'll try to look into this more. I'm surprised by the amount of reviews this has gotten, I'm glad you all enjoy it so much and happy that you're happy :D**

 **I like all the romance ideas you're all leaving, already I see shipping. Some hate the idea of Damon/Sofia. Some don't want Sofia/Stefan. Understandable from both sides, and I don't know who I'm going to put her with yet. In between attempting to go ever so slightly AU so it isn't just a copied script from the show, and trying to get my creative juices flowing and keeping everyone in character- I still have no idea, and if I do this romance thing it'll be a slow burn because romance is the last thing on Sofia's mind right now. I also know whoever I pair her with, the other party is not gonna be happy, and I know that I can't please everyone.**

 **What I'm leading this to say is, I hope you stick around regardless, even if I eventually stick her with someone that you don't like or disagree with. Try to be open minded.** **So, Damon/Sofia. Sofia/Stefan. Sofia/Rebekah. Sofia/Bonnie. Sofia/Klaus- various ships/etc. I know I'm going to disappoint a portion of you. I just hope you understand when I come to a decision.**

 **I also had the idea of flings. No love triangles because those give me a headache (experience of watching Elena being indecisive between two brothers made me impatient, even though I do know that love triangles exist after being in one myself irl). So, more than one partner may happen in this story. Rest assured, no affairs.**

 **On with the story *heart sign***

 _P.s- sorry if this seems a little rushed._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14:** **R** **epercussions**_

* * *

Day 37

* * *

The aftermath to the hospital equalled to an unpleasant couple days.

The doctors had proclaimed that my lungs and ribs had made a great recovery, it sure as hell didn't feel like it, since I found myself having to take a near constant daily dosage of pain relief medications, and that coughing still hurts my chest badly. Not to mention a whole bunch of 'chest physio therapies' that involved being clapped on my back or chest, to drain my lungs of mucus and whatnot. For as long as forty minutes.

But hey, at least the worst was over, or so they say. Not likely for things to get any worse, like getting pneumonia for example.

Then, there's my hip.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not crippled. I am still perfectly capable of walking on my own legs, but the wise and venerable doctor looking after me had decided to be overly safe than sorry, hence I found myself the proud new owner of a wheelchair, with explicit orders to 'minimise lower body activities so as to not put too much stress on them hips'.

"What the hell happened to you?"

The question came from my school 'buddy' from the very first day here. He had been assigned by the principal to wheel me around. Considering he was in most of my classes, and had caught up to most of his work, he was the main choice for our wonderful head of the school. Sid wanted to do it, saying he didn't mind, but he was least favored by the principal. Not to mention he was up to his eyeballs in homework- and detentions.

That was what he got for skipping classes.

"Car accident." Was the only thing I could say, head tilting to lean on my tired arm, propped on the arm of my new glorious chair and trying to look disinterested. My eyes however, were sharp, scanning the crowd of students bustling around me in an effort to find Vicki, who was by right supposed to be dead. And maybe avoid Stefan, who's highly likely to be in the midst of some blood relapse and trying to control his ripper tendencies.

And if I remembered correctly, he ended up munching on some random poor student.

I did not want to be his personal juice box.

"Car accident?" I heard him ask as he wheeled me across the hallway, slowly down slightly when some were a little slow to move out of the way. Suppose that's one benefit of being stuck in a wheelchair, most of my peers took one look at me and automatically parted for us to pass.

Ah, my faith in humanity…

"Jesus, shit. Were you there at that hospital when the killings were going on?"

Shit. "No, was admitted to a different one," I lied, effortlessly considering he was no Damon Salvatore. Humans were easier to fool, not being able to hear the subtle waves in my breath and thumps in my heart. "Guess I dodged a bullet there."

"Indeed."

I allowed myself five minutes of trepidation, letting worry stir through my stomach, before I exhaled a heavy breath and lifted my head firmly as Benji brought me in. I saw the familiar, older man standing by the board and when he saw me, Alaric's gaze followed my position.

We shared a stare. His mouth strained a small, polite smile. I returned it, but I knew that he wanted to talk about what happened that day.

"Sofia." He cleared his throat. A stab of dread. "See me after class, I have some notes to help you catch up on what you've been missing in class for the past week."

Little shit.

I hesitated, wishing my hip would miraculously fix itself so I could dive through the window and just go home. I didn't care about the schoolwork or if I got kicked out, at this point I just wanted Karen to agree with my dream to move to Tokyo. Then, perhaps the vampires were there too. There was no escaping the supernatural, no matter which town or city I would go to. Here, they were everywhere.

I crossed off my wishlist of places to go if I never got to go home. I'd never get to go to Orleans like I wanted to. No with the headcount of vampires, the family drama and turf war going on between Klaus and the witches and werewolves. For a moment, I pictured the carnage and felt a small sliver of fear pierce me. No. Orleans was off my bucket list.

"Yes sir." I reluctantly obliged, Benji sat down beside me and pulled out his notepad, taking a pen from his pocket. Before I could open my mouth, he took out another one, and simply held it out to me without looking my way.

A small bittersweet chuckle escaped me, and I accepted the stationary.

In such a short time, he knows me.

After class, and a few awkward exchanges between the secret vampire hunting teacher and I, Benji waited outside.

It was painfully silent.

I looked up at him from my chair. He stared my way, leaning his rear up against his desk. His hand rested on the desk surface, brows furrowing in thought and mouth pulled down.

"So..." I recalled his dead body, and figured I'd start there. Thank god he was wearing his ring. "Thought you were dead."

He paused, and crossed his arms. "You don't seem very surprised to see me up and walking around in school."

I gave a dry smile. "I've been wrong before." I didn't like acting naive. But this was the easiest way to throw him off my case. Not let him know just how much exactly I know. "Uh... you're not gonna eat me are you? Are you a zombie? A vampire? Do I need to make more stakes?"

He gave a small double take at my words. An expression of amusement and disbelief, one that I both wanted and didn't, flittered along his face. Great. He thinks I'm dumb. "You think I'm a vampire."

"Or a zombie. You hang around a gang of undead. Not so hard to believe." I shrugged, and winced. "I'm vervained, so don't even try to compel me."

"I am not a vampire," he said in exasperation, "or undead, if they even exist."

"That's what a vampire would say."

"Detention." He said in a no nonsense tone that flabbergasted me. "For a week."

I squinted up at him in disbelief. "For knowing your secret vampire agenda? Rude."

He stared. "Two weeks."

"What? Why?" I cried. "I didn't do anything!"

I wasn't sure if it was a trick of light, but I could've sworn there was a ghosting smile for a second. Before I could be sure, his expression melted into a sombre one and he adapted into a more business-like tone. "If only, now can we have a serious conversation or do you intend to continue fooling around?"

"Alright, alright." I stiffly crossed my arms over my lap. I could feel my insides twist, my mind racing to think through all the anxious, unorganised thoughts flying at me for preparation. "What do you want to talk about Mr. Saltzman?"

"You should have a rather good idea," he remarked.

I resisted the urge to glare at him. Smart arse. "Where should we even begin?"

"You seem familiar with the Salvatore brothers, Stefan in particular since he is your science partner." Don't let Elena hear you say that. "Tell me, what do you make of them?"

"What do I make of them?" Damon is a dick in season one, with redeeming qualities that are shy to show. Stefan is good for the most part but has his flaws and dark past like every normal person. "Stefan is a good guy for the most part, he has his issues but has the right intentions. And Damon…. Is Damon."

"Good guy? You think so despite knowing that they are vampires?"

I didn't want to encourage his hatred for Damon, knowing that they'd practically be best friends in the future. I briefly wondered if anything I said here would alter that, so far my presence here has changed a few things.

"Yes." I kept it vague, answering simply.

His face twisted slightly, and I had stop for a minute, to remind myself that this was pre-season two Alaric so his views on the supernatural would still be bigoted at the moment. Unfortunately. Thanks Damon, putting me in a rut here without actually being present. Mental thumbs up.

A small shadow cast under his furrowing brows, a shot of confusion flittering. "And might I ask why?"

I found myself chewing my lip. There wasn't much convincing things I could say here without giving myself away to knowing a lot more than I should.

"No offence, Mr. Saltzman but my own reasoning won't effect your own personal feelings towards vampires," I excused and lazily drummed my fingers along the arm of my chair. "What's with all the questions? I was under the impression you trusted them."

Alaric cleared his throat. "What makes you think that?"

I rose my brows.

"You stormed a hospital with them," I pointed out flatly. "Wouldn't have done it if you didn't trust them, no?"

His eyelids twitched. "I had my reasons."

And he did, though I couldn't quite remember what his reasoning was or how Damon persuaded him into helping him in the first place.

I bit back the dry smile. "And here I thought you were just a simple out of town history teacher."

"Says the out of town amnesiatic transfer," he shot back.

"Touché." I had to give him props. "But, this isn't about me. This is about what happened, which brings me to my next question…" What part of the plot did I screw? "What the hell happened at the hospital? Why were vampires there? Why did the vampires attack?"

"What, no one told you anything yet?"

My skin blistered at the cold reminder of being ditched at the hospital with the fallout, feeling my fingers curl, but I took a breath and calmed myself. "I'm not part of the Scooby gang, if that's what you think. Plus they all kinda dropped off the face of the Earth after the hospital, hadn't been able to get in contact with them to ask."

Not to mention, I didn't exactly want to be around them. Wherever they roam, disaster and death follows. I'd hate to be permanently paralysed this time.

I gave a half-arsed shrug. "I'm out of the loop and out of my depth, so… please, Mr. Saltzman." I felt my features soften a tad with my plea. "I need to know. I don't know if- if I'm about to be treated like some serial killer's childhood doll any time soon and I prefer to keep my head attached."

"How much do you already know?"

"Just that the Salvatore brothers are vampires and that recently there's been an explosion in vampire population in town." I winced, having a flashback to Freddie-boy taking a chunk outta me. "Most of the new vampires don't seem as friendly as the Salvatores."

"Friendly," there was a snort from him as I said that. "You do know that Damon is the one responsible for the original animal attacks don't you? Including the one that took the life of my predecessor."

Ah, awkward.

"No, I didn't." I lied after a minute of silence, averting my eyes. "But out of all the vampires I've dealt with so far, they're relatively…" I struggled. "Different?"

He thought about it for a second before nodding. "Suppose that's true in a way. You are right however, in that most of the new vampires seem generally more hostile and rabid. Apparently they have some history with the Salvatore brothers."

"And how did that lead to the hospital?"

Alaric uncrossed his arms, tentatively lowering his guard, to my relief. "If what Damon told me was true they tried to kidnap Stefan and failed. So they decided to go for the next best thing they could get their hands on to get at the brothers."

Elena Gilbert.

I played coy. "And… what was that?"

"Elena Gilbert." Yep, called it. "We both know how that ended."

"And what about the other two vampires that came with you?" I asked, hoping to learn more. Both were supposed to be dead at this point, yet both were still alive and breathing.

"Can't help you there," he shrugged, "it is as you said, they all but disappeared off the face of the Earth after the hospital. Though if I'm not wrong one of them was a former student of this school."

"Vicki Donovan." I nodded.

"You know her?"

"Not really, just that she's Matt's sister and a sophomore."

Damn it, nothing useful. Still back at square one with not a clue on what in the bloody hell went wrong.

"Have you tried asking him?"

I thought about the bright eyed, kind male who was one of the only normal people throughout the series that actually stayed human. I felt a stab of pity. "Matt doesn't know about all this… supernatural crap. I don't want to be the one to tell him his baby sister died and now has to eat people."

"He is going to find out sooner or later," he pointed out. "Especially given the way things are going."

"He doesn't need to know," I mumbled, questioning what changes I should have a hand in and what not. What would happen if Matt knew earlier? Would he move to safety? Go to Sheriff Forbes? Would he go on a crazy revenge spree and try to kill Damon? Would he go around shouting about it and get locked up in a mental institute?

I couldn't remember what other roles he played. It could be important. He could keep characters grounded. He could be Rebekah's redemption. He was people's rock. He could be so many things and affect so much. Matt was simple, but he was vital. He had been in the series for far too long. Would my presence differ that? Would he be harmed… would he die if I interfered once more?

I didn't know.

This was all too unpredictable. Too many questions. Too many variables.

A migraine throbbed in my skull, it was a hammering pressure that caused me to heavily sigh.

A squad car went speeding across the road outside, sirens blaring.

"Things seem to be coming to a head these days," he noted. "Vampires going underground, humans coming out in force, the masquerade threading on thin ice."

I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and index finger, feeling the weight of it all pushing down harder on my shoulders. The constant back and forth in my head. To step in, to step out, to let everything run it's course, the butterfly effect in talking with characters-

They weren't characters anymore. They were people.

It terrified me, that I knew the future. I just had all these details bouncing around my fried brain, overlapping and overthinking. Any changes I made meant that they were false. They could be wrong, things could be changed. This wasn't a game where I could load back a save. I was in a loop of indecisiveness.

I was a mess.

Don't fuck with the plot more, Sofia.

"Tell me about it." I took my warm hand away from my face, feeling fatigued. My body anchored to the damn chair.

"What do you intend to do?"

Stuck in my bundle of chaos, my head lifted up to meet his eyes. "About what?"

"You know what I'm talking about, this whole vampire business."

"What I intend to do?" I nearly laugh. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm a young, temporary cripple. There's not much I can do." I turned my head to the side, glancing out the window to watch a pigeon pecking at the ground. No worries, just focusing on food. Can fly away from danger. Seems nice. "If you mean, do I intend to go running around like a headless chicken screaming about vampires to warn the town? No."

"If you say so,"

I turned back to face him. "What about you? Why are you here? What do you intend to do, Mr. Saltzman?"

"Find Damon for start. He promised me something in exchange for my help, I intend to remind him of that."

"I wish you luck, sir," I threw him a half-arsed salute, then grabbed the chair sides, ready to launch myself to the door. "But if that's all you wanted to ask me, I'll get going."

"A word of advice before you leave," he said. "Avoid the state police and marshals, if you know what's best for you. Somehow I doubt they are who they really are."

No shit, Rick.

With that, I took my leave.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15: Outing**_

* * *

Day 37

* * *

"What about this one?"

Karen lifted a plain, simple green dress. It looked knee-length, with short sleeves just covering the shoulders. I shrugged and she turned around with a frown, dipping her hand back into the hangers.

I heard a quiet sigh, and looked to my side to see Benji sitting next me on the leather seat that men who were forced out shopping by their girlfriend or wife or a female usually occupied. Sometimes it was the other way round, but in my experience most guys never took this long to shop for clothes. They were quick, they didn't need to look around because they came out for that one particular piece of jeans or shirt.

I was the same. I never really went shopping unless one of my friends back home dragged me out, or I needed new ones, not just wanted. Plus, why go out when you can buy most of your stuff online?

Women like Karen tended to look at every piece of clothing in the store just in case they missed some gem. Hence, she dragged me out. I got bored, and hence, innocent Benji was also dragged out. To shop. The horror.

Karen giggled when she saw his disgruntled face, swatting him and saying that this was practice for when he got a girlfriend in future.

When she said this, I didn't miss the sly glance she sent me. I awkwardly looked away, thanking my lucky stars Benji didn't seem none the wiser. He merely said I owed him, I agreed, fingers crossed behind my back. A mental image of me in an evil scientist lab cackled, raising my arms manically with lightning flashing in the background, and I smirked.

My fingers curled over the walking stick I placed between my legs, placing my chin atop it with a tired sigh. I also agreed so I could put practice walking. It took a lot out of me, and I had to sit down a good few times. Karen offered to bring out the chair but I didn't want it. I needed to use my cane, I had to adjust. I had to adapt.

Damn vampires.

This was all still so surreal. I tried not to think too much about the hospital incident, knowing it was my fault. I had to tamper with fate, didn't I? My presence affected the course of things. The universe would probably eat itself. Paradoxes would spiral out of nowhere. I had to be a lot more careful, between tottering over moral choices, not knowing which was the right course of action. Did I interfere? Did I stay away?

I thought about avoiding Stefan, who was nowhere to be seen just like Elena. I avoided Matt. Bonnie's texts.

Oh yes. Bonnie.

 _I heard about your grandmother._

She was silent on the other end when I texted her those words last night, understandably. She didn't know me that well, she was in grieving, pity was the last thing she wanted.

 _I know you don't know me that well._ I had typed. _I've lost my family too and I know it'll hurt for a long time. I just wanted you to know that I would listen, I won't give you a bunch of crap and advice. I'd just listen. I know it helps._

It took a while, but she finally responded. _Thank you. But I'm okay._

I knew she wasn't.

I knew she'd feel uncomfortable with the random reach out from a stranger. That's what I was to her, a stranger. If I were in her shoes I'd be a little cynical too.

Truth was, I had lost my family. I wasn't lying when I told her that. They may not be dead, but they were separated from me. I didn't know if I was ever going to return to my own world, so it numbly felt like death. Except, it felt like I was the one who died. They were out of reach. I'd probably never see them again. No one here even knew who they were- they didn't even exist in this place. They wouldn't understand.

I didn't even get to say goodbye.

"Fia?" Blinking out of my depressing haze, I rose my head to find Karen staring down at me. "Are you _okay_?"

I swiped the back of my hand along my eyes, finding that it was slightly damp. I rubbed them dry and nodded with a forced grin, sniffing. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking of that one scene from Doctor Who, I was watching reruns last night. You know the one with Rose and the wall and they're separated? It's so..." I took a deep breath, forcing a smile, "sad."

A lame excuse, but Karen knew I watched it. I rarely cried outside of my own room, let alone in front of people. This was weird, even for me. I haven't thought about my family in a while. Maybe it was catching up to me.

She shook her head, frown turning to a small smile. "I think your little geeky heart needs a break, it's just a show honey."

"It's not just a show!" I cried dramatically to add to my act, startling a nearby passer-by innocently standing in front of the shelf with shoes. They gave me a weird look and quickly walked off to another section of the shop. "It's art."

Karen laughed, and held out another dress. "What about this one?"

"How can you think of clothing at a time like this? Where Rose and the doctor are never gonna see each other again?!"

Where I'm stuck in some alternate reality where the Vampire Diaries is real.

More people looked over, curious and bewildered by my loud outburst. I think I played it off well, because shook her head and put the dress back. "Okay, I get it. You're a nerd. My little nerd." She turned to Benjamin, tusking. "Are you being a bad influence?"

"Not my kind of show," he quickly said, throwing a quick glare in my way.

Forcing the lump in my throat to cease, I sharply took in a breath and bared my teeth in a friendly smile, hoping it didn't come off as strained as it felt.

"So, Benjamin, what's your cup of tea?" My adoptive mother asked, pressing a top against her, turning to look in the thin mirror along the wall. "What shows do you watch?"

"Oh, he loves Desperate Housewives." My own joke slightly lightened my mood. "All that… drama."

"Sitcoms are the number one causes of brain cancer in this country," was his dry reply, I nudged him.

"Oh, they aren't that bad." Karen gushed, swatting her manicured hand as if he was being dramatic. "Some of them are so funny!"

"Sure," he shrugged awkwardly, averting his eyes uncomfortably. "Just.. never been one for sitcoms and comedies in general."

"It's not for everyone I suppose," she mulled it over, then tapped her finger on the top she was holding against herself. "What do you think of this? As someone of the male species, do you find this attractive?"

I still felt a little crap, but suppressed a snicker. He looked like someone had just threatened to dunk his head into the toilet.

"I think," I coughed, clearing my throat when his sharp eyes shot over to me, narrowing. "That it's cute, but Benji doesn't know fashion."

"He doesn't have to know fashion," she sighed. "He just has to be honest, is it nice on me, yes or no?"

I sent him an apologetic glance, sheepish smile curving my mouth.

His jaw clenched, and he fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yes?"

"Thank you," she nodded, then folded it over her arm before digging into her purse. She checked her phone. "Okay kids," Karen took out some money, holding out some notes toward me. "Here's some cash, why don't you hang out here for a bit? Madison needs me to come get her, give me a call when you want me to pick you up." Her green eyes shot to me. "If you need to go home, don't exert yourself, okay?"

I nodded.

She gave me a stern look. "Sofia-"

"I got it. I got it." I held up my hands in surrender.

Not quite satisfied, she turned in Benji's way with a plea, "Benjamin? Look after her, please."

"Yes ma'am," he said stiffly.

She sighed happily, giving me a peck on the cheek. "Such a gentleman,"

With that, she rushed off to the checkpoint to quickly pay for the shirt so she could leave.

"Should've rolled you off the stairs yesterday," he declared when she was gone. I nearly choked on a laugh, and placed my cane on the floor.

"It's not that bad," I tried to defend, but I would've said the same thing if I were in his shoes. If his mother asked me fashion advice. "Aren't you glad I invited you out?"

He looked to the right, at the high heels, his nose crinkling in disgust. "You told me you needed someone to push you around, not this."

"Technically, if I can't walk I need a support. I knew Karen had to go at some point. That's where you come in." I offered, chuckling nervously. "Now, less whining, more- help me up."

"Why didn't you get Sid to come with you instead?" he exhaled tiredly, but acquiesced all the same. "Thought the two of you were close."

"He's busy," I told him, accepting his hand. "Besides, we haven't hung out and I thought, hey what about that new friend."

"To be fair, I am the volunteer who got volunteered to show you around on your first week, then to help you around after your accident."

I hesitated, throwing him a gander. "Are you saying you don't wanna hang?"

"Not exactly what I meant-" he sucked in a deep breath. "Never mind, where to?"

I bit my lip, considering the options. I was done looking at clothes, and I had already eaten. But I grew a sudden sweet tooth. "Do you like ice cream?"

"Sure, I know a good place, or do you have one in mind?"

"Nope, take it away Benji." I nodded ahead, gesturing to a random direction. "Take us on an adventure to the land of the ice with the cream."

"Are you always this dramatic?" he sighed as he slowly led me around by the arm. "Just around this corner, ah, there it is."

A cute little cream stand, decorated with pastel shades of blue and pink and yellow. A man stood behind it, balding with a pot belly and white uniform. He had a long beard, to the point he could plait it, it reminded me of a viking.

The name written in bold, large words on front; _Paul and Frankie's._

Hm.

"I'm not dramatic." I defended, scoffing. Perhaps my earlier little show didn't help my case here. "Okay. Maybe a little."

We lined up behind the three people. The first was a young couple, holding hands. The second was an overweight Indian woman with a vividly pink blouse and the third, an emo-esque guy around my age, a mop of black hair covering his eyes.

"How do you know this place?" I asked, absentmindedly watching the emo-kid play with the DS in his fingerless-gloved hands. Is that pokemon?

"It's the asian blood in me," he said, "personally I prefer bubble tea but since you can't find those here I sought and the next best thing."

"Woah, hold up," I blinked, turning my head with interest, smiling widely. "You like bubble tea?"

His eyebrow quirked. "You know what that is? Colour me _surprised_. Here I thought the drink never made it across the pacific."

"Yeah, there's a good few bubble tea places back home," I gave a wistful sigh and felt my chest squeeze, starting to realise how much I missed it. Don't think about it, dummy. "What's your preference? I haven't had a chance to try all the different combinations yet. I love cold lemon and the passion fruit pearls."

"Apple with aloe vera, and peach green tea."

"That sounds nice, I wanna try it now."

But I can't, which is depressing.

"Doubt you'll find any in town, maybe in Richmond but it's unlikely. Shame people here seem to prefer coffee over anything else."

"Oh, I know," I grumbled. "It's sad. Bubble tea over coffee any day. Maybe I should open up a shop."

My pocket vibrated.

I dipped my hand and took out my phone, just as the couple collected their order and left. Ben and I shuffled forward as the chubby worker took the lady's order.

The text was from Sid, asking if I was still coming to the Founders Day kick-off. I remember him mentioning it before I was in hospital, telling me all about the different events that were going to appear in the next month and how he wasn't looking forward to it.

I distantly remember something about joining him to take his mind off it. If he went, it inevitably meant I'd probably have to keep an eye on him. Did I really want to go? Should I even go? No deaths happened as far as I knew, but my appearance seemed to have some sort of rippling effect. Was it worth it? For a boy I hadn't known long?

 _Do you want to let an innocent kid waltz into potential danger?_

It wouldn't be potential danger if I don't go.

Urgh.

My indecisiveness was starting to take its toll.

Fuck.

"Hey, Benji," I started, raising my head from the screen.

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to that Founders day kick-off thing?"

"What, that party?" he asked incredulously. "Hell no, not the party type."

 _Good_.

* * *

"Frigging _little_ -"

America irritated me.

It wasn't the people. It wasn't the fact I was in Mystic Falls. It wasn't the heat that I wasn't used to and complained about all the time (I wouldn't be British if I didn't complain about the weather) and it wasn't even the supernatural aspect.

Well, the vampires were a close second.

But no, my main annoyance toward my age.

My age limit was a hindrance here. In England, I'd be considered an adult. I'd have free reign over how much I drink and when I can drink, but if I did want to, it would have to be at my house under Karen's supervision. I could learn how to drive, and fully operate a car (that's to say if I can in my state) but I couldn't drink.

"It's legal-"

"No,"

"Listen here," I paused, taking the time to squint at his name tag. " _Joshua_. My time here is very limited. I've been through the wringer," here I gestured to my body with my cane, "as you can see and I have been dealing with some very emotional shit to a _gargantuan_ level you couldn't even begin to **_comprehend_** ," I pushed my hand on the table, wincing at the pain in my side, "I think I deserve a little shot. If you have a heart beneath that awfully ironed shirt, you'd give me one. _Stinking_. Drink-"

"I will call the police." He simply threatened, expression severely stoic.

"Come _on_ man, just-"

"Leave before I have you escorted off the premises,"

"You'd forcefully manhandle a _cripple_?" I gasped in feigned horror, he didn't have a sense of humour- or humanity it seemed. He nodded. "Look, can you just get me one drink. One is all I ask and if I ask for anymore I will gladly dump my head in the toilet," I wiggled my pinkie, "pinkie swear."

After a few seconds of staring at me with those void, emotionless eyes, he vanished through the doors, returning with a clear glass. Joshua propped a napkin on the bar, then put the glass on top of it.

My mouth curved into a dry smile, "now was that _ **so** hard_?"

In hindsight, I knew the poor bastard was only doing his job. I knew I was being a persistent bitch, and that I was annoying him. But I was tired. I was angry. I had pent up energy I needed to vent somehow. And unfortunately, he was in my way to getting that buzz I so desperately craved. Granted, it was probably a bad thing my automatic reaction was to think of alcohol, but I just wanted one rest. One little bit where I waved my party hair, danced, albeit awkwardly- one where I forget where I am.

He blinked at me.

I took a sip, glanced down at the crystal clear liquid sloshing around before lifting my narrowed eyes to glare viciously at him.

Joshua, the man with no funny bone, calmly smiled at me.

Water. It was water.

"Touche," I admitted, gingerly. He said nothing, and went back to serving the mildly anorexic blonde woman at her stool.

" _You know_ ," an anxious pang clenched my stomach. My feet stilled, fingers coiling tighter over my cane. Tentatively, I turned to the person speaking, feeling my heart lunge up into my throat. 350 year old vampire versus crippled human, fair game. "I could compel him to give you that drink if you want,"

My eyes slowly rose.

 ** _Lexi._**

* * *

 **Just wanted to let you folks know that I'm also working on another SI/OC- ish TVD fic, slight re-write but also different from New Life. I'll let you all know when it's up, most likely gonna be going by the name of 'Mystic Transition' and don't worry- I'm not leaving this fic behind, already working on the next chapter ;)**

 **On a sidenote I want you all to know how much I appreciate your reviews and feedback 3 I love you all, sincerely**

 **~Elle**


	16. Chapter 16

**HEY I'M NOT DEAD**

 **I got a job XD So my time has been SOAKED up.**

 **Btw, anyone who saw the email about me uploading, I apologise but I saw more to edit and put a bit more chunk in there, so don't worry- you're not insane :D XD**

 **As I've said before, not abandoning this story (yet) I'm still stubborn to get this completed at least.**

 **If you haven't had a chance to yet, there's a similar story on my profile called Mystic Transition. You guys might like it, you might not. It's like a semi-re-write of this fic with a different main character, but think of it as an AU story to this story, same sort of start, gonna split to another path XD**

 **Give it a chance and some support and love so I know if you enjoy it :)**

 **ALSO MASSIVE- FUCKING MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY BETA-co-author: Charlie019**

 **Seriously, I was stuck for the longest time and he wrote a portion of this chapter with me. He's like the best Beta-Co-author-person-friend a gal could have!**

 **Onward to the story of Sofia!**

* * *

Lexi.

The vampire who was supposed to be dead, Stefan's best friend who had perished at the hands of Damon Salvatore due to his cunning plot to get the cops off their back. The one I had saved through nearly damaging my own kidneys. He had killed her, in that life. And she had no idea.

She stood, living (sort of) and breathing in front of me. The blonde woman looked into my eyes, leaning her head to the side curiously. I straightened, clearing my throat, trying not to pick at my nails out of habit. "Oh. Hi, Lexi."

"Hey yourself," she said, swirling a small glass of whiskey in her hand.

I adjusted, shifting the cane. My heart thumped. "How're you? I haven't seen you since Stefan's birthday."

Or since the hospital, where you had something impaled in your stomach.

"Depends," she took a sip, "good I guess?" She looked over to me. "You never would've guessed who I just met recently."

Warily, I watched her. She's acting casual enough, suspiciously. "Oh?"

"Yeah, she looks just like you actually. Like one of those impossible near identical look alike stories you see on the internet." My heart leapt up to my throat. I forced a smile on my face, uncomfortable. "Know anything about that?"

"You found my doppelganger, huh?" I lightly joked, averting my eyes from her piercing gaze. My gut twisted. _She knows I'm lying. Vampire hearing. No point in lying._ "Hm, no idea. I suppose I just have one of those faces."

She sighed and downed what's left of her drink in one swig. "I can smell the vervain in your blood," she said bluntly, throwing me a pointed look.

I curtly hummed in my unease, placing my drink on the counter. _Yeah, okay. No point in stepping round the bush._ "Okay. I was at the hospital, I saw what happened. I know what you are."

"Guess it's pretty obvious eh, seeing that I'm still up and walking around after being disemboweled and impaled on a pole." She gestured at the bartender to refill her glass. Joshua poured the bottle, contently ignoring me when I glared at him. He walked back to the balding man who demanded a drink. "You don't look too surprised however."

My lips thinned. "Not to be rude but did you want something, Lexi?"

"So hostile," she sighed theatrically, "I thought we parted on friendly, or at the very least amicable terms."

"We still can be friendly." I drummed my fingers along my knee, letting out a sigh. "But wouldn't you be on guard? I'm already fragile as it is." I made a pointed gesture to my cane.

Lexi moved closer and I found myself stiffening. Her hand grazed my arm from how close she became, her breath ghosting over the shell of my ear as she whispered, "in that case, you may not want to come to a party roaming with vampires on your period."

I processed the words with horror, hot embarrassment flushing through my face. Fucking vampires. "I-uh-" I struggled not to cover my face and gnawed on my cheek. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me hole. Why didn't that come to mind?

"As disgusting as it is to you," she continued, mouth brushing my earlobe, "to vampires it can be rather _enticing_."

I squashed down the hard lump in my throat, her expression became teasing.

"Did you approach me just to antagonise me?" I tried to change the subject, still trying to imagine different ways to morbidly end my suffering.

"Talk, catch up, hang around, call it what you will. And you can't blame me for noticing that you need to change your sanitary towel and how much it stinks of vervain."

My nose crinkled. "My… cycle aside, I have to wear vervain so I'm not molested in my head, so I'm not apologising for the stench." I threw her a sideways glance. "Look, let's skip the small talk. For my sanity."

"Alright," she watched me. "How long have you known?"

I settle for the vague answer. "A while."

"More than just 'a while' I say," she tipped her head back and drowned her second glass. "Back at the hospital you were more surprised than concerned about the piece of rebar in my torso. Right now you seem more annoyed than anything else, despite the fact that for all intends and purposes I have just revealed myself to be a blood sucking fiend that exists only in fairy tales and horror stories."

"What can I say?" My smile stretched, straining to keep up appearances. I couldn't imagine how I'd even begin to explain. Oh yeah, your life was part of my teenish entertainment, everything you are and around me is really the plot of a TV show. So I pretty much know you're not going to kill me, most likely, at least until I become a threat to Stefan or yourself.

I tried not to cringe.

That'd go down well.

"My life isn't exactly…" I tapped my finger on my cane, eyes trailing to the bartender. Mainly so I wouldn't have to meet her burning stare. "Normal."

Understatement of the century.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, not relenting. "Care to elaborate?"

A bitter smile found its way onto my lips. "Not really."

"Then care to dance?"

I almost dropped my cane, eyes locking onto her face, where a wicked grin took place. Lexi placed her drink on the bar counter and playfully offered her arm. That took a turn.

"I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not exactly-" I slowly said, and wriggled my cane. "-fit for physical activity."

"I can lead, you know."

My nose crinkled in distaste. I don't like dancing. "I'd rather not."

Something flashed in her eyes, but I wasn't able to identify it before it vanished. "When we were pub-crawling, you seemed more than willing to sway those hips of yours. Why the sudden change?"

I was saving your life, back then.

"I'm crippled." I deadpanned.

"For someone who knows about my kind," she lowly spoke, intense gaze trailing across my face. "You lie a lot."

I opened my mouth to snap a retort but was cut off by the startled jolt in my body. A warm arm had wrapped around my shoulders, awkwardly leaning on me. I craned my head up, my narrowed eyes grew when I saw the face of none other than Sid. His white teeth bared down at me in delight. "Hey Fia."

"Hey," I greeted, somewhat stiffly. He seemed to noticed, easing his weight from my shoulder.

"Who's this charming companion of yours?" I almost sighed at Lexi's query and gestured to the trouble maker.

I quickly, tiredly, gave the short introductions and wished I was anywhere else but here. Why did I come again? "Sid. Lexi. Lexi. Sid."

"Pleasure," Sid's voice, to my dismay, had lowered to a slightly husky octave. I knew it all too well. His flirt voice, as he once told me. His hand took hers, lips brushing her knuckles. Her bold red lips twitched at the corners into a smirk. I wanted to stab my eyes.

"Likewise," she smoothly and easily played along. "Are you Sofia's boyfriend?"

To my horror, his grin widened wickedly.

"Absolutely-" he wheezed from my short, but firm nudge to his ribcage. "Not." He strained, features twisting in a hot glare. I smiled up at him sweetly. He begrudgingly continued, "Nope. Nada. Just a friend."

Mirth glinted in her muddy eyes and I mentally threw Sid through the window.

"How long have you known Fia?" She innocently inquired, I grinded my teeth. Prying, Lexi? Really?

"It feels like centuries," he semi teased, pinching my cheek. I swatted him, sending Sid blistering daggers "But really, we've known each other since she transferred to the school. Not long, but we clicked."

"You followed me around like a lost puppy." I corrected. Red tinted his ears and with the expression he shot me, you'd think I dunked his head down a toilet. "I eventually let him be my friend. He's not all bad."

"Lies and slander," he dramatically exclaimed, gaining a few stray glances from party go-ers. I shook my head, biting back a smile. Sid turned his head back to the blonde, who was keenly observing us. I swallowed my nerves. "Anyway, I came over to steal her for the evening, hope you don't mind."

"By all means," she gave me a coy smile. "But we should catch up later."

"I'm awfully busy." I ducked my arm underneath Sid's to link us. When something brushed along my fingers I stiffened and noticed he used my hand to pull me tighter against him. Mildly surprised, my cheeks flamed, but I ignored it and locked eyes with Lexi as warning. "Catching up with school. Hospital appointments. Etcétera. You know how it is."

"We'll see how it goes." There was something in her undertone I didn't quite understand.

Sid, oblivious as the next guy, decided to interrupt our stare-off. "Well, if you happen to have a make out sessio-"

"Okay Sid," I pulled my arm from his, pushing my hands on his back to nudge him away from interacting with the older woman. "Let's go dance."

"But-"

"No."

He had the audacity to give me puppy eyes. "Fine."

I kept true to my word and hauled the mohawk styled male over the dance floor, albeit awkwardly due to my limp.

I stopped and eyed him with consideration, wondering how on earth this would work with my cane as another leg. He seemed to understand my hesitation, gripping my free hand to put it on his shoulder. His hands rested on my waist, carefully avoiding my cane. We swayed and it was a weird tempo at first but we quickly grew used to it.

"So," he murmured, inclining his head. "What happened to not being a dance-kind of person?"

"I have a multiple personality disorder." I deadpanned. He snorted. "Plus, you were making Lexi uncomfortable." He gave me a look. "Okay, you were making me uncomfortable."

"It is my duty as your friend," his teeth bared in a crooked grin. I would've hit his shoulder playfully, if it wasn't for the fact if I let him go I would lose my balance and topple over onto my face.

I pointedly fixed him with a glare that only lasted for a few seconds, replaced with an affectionate smile. "You're lucky I'm an old cripple."

"You're not that old," he pressed me a tad closer toward him, and I eyed him curiously. Does he…? "Tell me something."

"Tell you something." I repeated, dubiously. But his expression was earnest, a glint in his gaze. Something bubbled in my stomach. "Like what?"

"What's your favourite colour." He casually shrugged and I felt my brow knit together. "Come on Fia, humour me."

"I have multiple."

"Mutiple," he lowly chuckled, I felt it through his chest. "To go with your various personalities, hmm?"

"Purple," I finally admitted. "Out of my top five, that's always the one that triumphs."

"What are the others?" He prompted. I moved my cane, so it didn't stab his toe.

"Blue, red," I smiled lightly. "I have combinations of colours I like too, like gold and pink."

"You're so weird." I poked out my tongue at him, and his grin grew. "Okay, colours, check. Now tell me what your favorite animal is."

"Sid," I hesitated, slowing our sway. He noticed my reluctance and stopped, steel gaze meeting mine. "What are you doing?"

"Getting to know my friend." He gave a shrug of his shoulders. I gnawed on the inside of my cheek, but didn't press it. He gently moved my hips, swaying us left and right again.

"Well, I have something to tell you." I continued, tone innocent. "There was a girl at school the other day. She was hot. Single. Brunette. Tattoos. Smoking body. Definitely your type."

"Hm," he offhandedly mumbled, an obvious apathy for my scouting females for him.

"Her name is Harley, I'm pretty sure." I wiggled my eyebrows. "Like your bike, huh. You could ride the Ha-"

"She seems okay." He cut my teasing voice off, an apparent disinterest forming over his face.

I frowned and I opened my mouth to demand what was going on. A trickle of ice slid down my spine when a familiar voice joined the conversation, speaking over me.

"Well, well, fancy seeing you here."

You've gotta be fucking-

"Damon." I politely greeted, refusing to look over at the big, bad and frustratingly beautiful. Sid's eyes flickered between me and the man to my right. I finally tore my gaze from my friend, peeling my hand away from his shoulder to look at him.

He was sharply dressed in a suit, as to be expected of him. His inky black hair slightly combed. Icy eyes scrutinised me before flicking to the younger teen with a dangerous smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"I don't believe I've been introduced to your friend." The blue eyed vampire eyed Sid, plastering his charming smile over his angelic features. The irony. "Damon Salvatore, crime analyst and Stefan's better looking brother. I believe you share a class with him."

Crime analyst? Really?

My palms became clammy, heart racing in my ears when my friend stepped toward the vampire and held out his hand for Damon to shake. "I'm Sid Morrison, and yes, I do. He's a little… reserved. But Sofia seems to be getting closely knit with him."

Oblivious to my growing terror, he sent me a teasing wink, and I could've strangled the idiot. _Sid, not that you know- but you just painted another fucking target on my back._

"So," he went on, "you work for the sheriff?"

"That I do, sorry if I don't seem to be on my best today. Work has been… stressful these days. I'm sure you understand why."

I didn't want to introduce Sid to an early death, so I anxiously put my hand on his arm to draw his attention. "Hey Sid, can you leave us alone for a minute. I need to talk about something private." It wasn't a request, my tone left no room for debate.

He was about to argue, but stopped when he looked away from Damon and down toward me. I clenched my jaw. He hesitated, not looking like he wanted to leave me alone. But he nodded, after a strong pause.

"Sure, call if you need me." He stared pointedly at me and I gradually turned from him to face the devil.

I gripped my cane tighter.

"What do you want?" I demanded, not particularly eager to be in the same proximity. My heart hammered against my chest, reminding me of my ever prominent mortality. I'm literally standing next to death.

"Bourbon would be nice, drinks here are just terrible. Classless hacks," he mock shudders. I force my breathing not to become shallow.

"Then why don't you leave?" I suggested, feeling a tad more brave since we were practically surrounded by people. It would probably come back to bite me (urgh).

"Alas, I was given a special invitation. Social etiquette demanded I stay till the end."

"Uh-huh." I tried to relax my tense muscles, to no avail. "I'll leave you to it then."

I took a step back, practically digging my cane to the ground. Stiffly, I made a move to walk away but he apparently had no qualms about blocking my exit. His interruption to my escape was smooth and fast I almost sped into his chest, sending a twinge of frustration through me.

"So I wonder," he innocently started, I clenched my jaw. "If you really want to die this much, I would be more than happy to oblige." He put his hand on his chest, where his heart would be if he would have one, feigning a look of sincerity. "You know, do my daily good deed and all."

"What," I flatly repeated, "do you want."

The humourless smile flashed and he rolled his eyes. My heart picked up again when he took a slow, predatory step toward me. "I personally don't know why you're being so cranky. If it wasn't for me Fred-dick would've decapitated your head right then and there." His eyes slightly widened in emphasis, a thin line on his mouth. "You should be thanking me."

I wanted to slap him, I really did. He was right, as much as I didn't want to admit it- but he also left me with the fallout from the tomb vampire's mess. "You left me on the hospital floor to deal with the aftermath."

"You're alive and well, aren't you?" His eyes scanned my form, stopping at the cane for a moment. "Eh. For the most part."

"Okay. Thank you." I forced out of gritted teeth, just wanting to be left alone.

"Was that really so hard?" His face produced the perfect smirk. "Now, pleasantries aside, I do believe we have a lot to talk about, in light of what happened."

I used the excuse to watch Sid in the distance so I didn't have to stare the devil in the eyes. Sid was leaning on the wall, sipping at his champagne and glancing at Damon with a frown every so often. I swallowed before I could finally find the courage to respond. "There's not much to say."

"Oh yes there is. Lots of questions that need answering in fact." His voice lowered, and I stiffened when I realised he was closer than I thought. "Like the fact that you know a lot more than you are letting on."

I seemed to be getting that a lot these days. If I had a dollar for every time someone accused me of that, I'd be drowning in funds. And if that were the case, I'd use it to move the fuck out of here. Always wanted to go to Tokyo.

Perhaps giving him small facts of truth would get him off my case a little.

"You're a vampire, your brother is a vampire and Lexi is a vampire." I turned my head, sipping my drink before continuing. "The only ones that would believe me are the town council and Liz Forbes. I'm not Buffy. I'm not another supernatural being. You have nothing to worry about if you think I'd be stupid enough to expose you. I'm not even a tiny bit of a threat, so in turn-" I stared up at him, feeling my clammy palm wrap around the hilt of my cane. "Leave me alone. All I want is to graduate and move far away."

He paused, eyebrows cocked in surprise. Or mock surprise. "I was going to say you're a fledgling vampire hunter, or tracker at the very least, but my. You've been practicing that in front of a mirror?"

"Are we done?" I snipped.

"Hell no."

My skin heated in frustration, a stab of fear in my stomach. "There's nothing else I can tell you."

"Let me put it this way. Somehow, you have managed to enlightened yourself to our little not so mundane corner of our little society. Somehow, an amnesiac with no memories of a few months or years of her prior life, yet happens to know about my family's little naughty secret, among other things. Now normally I would've just gotten rid of you because you're a possible loose end, but because murder is a faux pas, the body count for the local high school is getting a little too high for my comfort and the fact that the few people who I happen to know also happens to know you and would get all whiny if I removed you from the equation, I'll make an exception. Well, that and frankly you've done nothing but sit on your ass despite what you know."

"So... what, you want me to thank you for your benevolence?"

"Even better," he held out his hand. "Truce?"

I stared at him, then at his hand, incredulous.

Damon Salvatore. Attempting a truce.

At my expression, his mouth twitched and he said, "just taking a page from my brother's book, making friends, or allies of convenience at the very least. That and I'm sick of him getting all sad and mopey because I murdered someone that he happened to know."

Or, more likely, so he can make use of and manipulate me for his own purposes, and ultimately stabbing me in the back once I outlived my usefulness. He was kind of notorious for being a backstabbing dude, in a cast full of people who backstab each other on a regular basis, who had a tendency to change his allegiance whenever it suited him. Sure, his eventual loyalty to Elena was heartwarming and whatever, but from an outside perspective, unless you were part of Elena's inner circle, you're expendable at best, and a loose end at worse.

I'm fairly certain I belonged in the latter category.

Besides, a truce implied that he had actually attempted, or at the very least, tried to have me killed at one point or the other.

On the plus side, Damon was a very useful ally to have. And considering my luck so far, I didn't trust myself to stay out of shit, especially since I had this unnatural tendency to get dragged into them. Having Damon around to bail me out of shit, would be very, _very_ nice.

He lowered his hand, sighing. "You don't trust me I see."

"You've made veiled threats towards me every time we've met, outright threatened me twice, and your amoral tendencies suggests that you have your humanity turned off. So no, I don't fucking trust you not to stab me in the back at your earliest convenience."

"Fine, let me rephrase. A ceasefire, so we can put aside our differences for the time being, because right now we all have bigger problems to worry about. You don't seem want me _dead_ ," he inclined his head. "Or as far as I can tell anyway, and that is good enough for me even though I really would prefer to torture you until you spill your beans."

Again with the threats, I rolled my eyes as he once again proved my point about why I shouldn't trust him. _Still, we have bigger problems to worry about?_

"Bigger problems?" I semi played dumb, trying to rack my brain. _Since this is the party before the miss mystic thing, I should be around episode eighteen. So which problems? Can't be John Gilbert, we haven't even met yet… urgh I need my checklist_. "Are you talking about the rabid vamps at the hospital?"

"Oh you wish," he chuckled ruefully. "Has our sheriff told you about the federal interest in our little town?"

I physically felt myself pale. "A thing or two."

"Then you should know that apparently Uncle Sam has decided to categorize the unfortunate accident at the hospital as a case of domestic terrorism, so he's about to send more boys to town."

"Sheriff Forbes cleared me of any suspicion," I pointed out, keeping my voice even. "I don't see how is this our problem, because I'm not the one going around and starting a body count. And can't your kind just kinda do the whole... 'compelling a multitude of people to get them outta town' thing?" I used air quotes. A few of them.

"Done it before," he shrugged. "And I may have murdered one or two. But you can't compel the bureaucracy to erase your problem, and let's just say I learned my lesson the hard way why that is compelling federal officers is not a very good idea."

I quirked an eyebrow at that. Humans? Normal humans a worrying concern to Damon Salvatore? Since when? Human threats tended to be an afterthought at best in the franchise, a distraction before something even more threatening shows up and starts causing mayham. Hell, they were little more than background prop accessories or walking blood banks to the gang.

And somehow, the fact that Damon was a cop killer didn't surprise me much. This was Damon after all. _He's probably done darker things than the show even lets on_. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but I shrugged it off. "I still don't see how exactly that is _my_ problem. I've been cleared of suspicion."

"If the federal government is that easy to deal with, don't you think the-" he stopped when a waitress brought by some glasses on a platter. She smiled and offered it to us both and I practically snatched it. Damon smirked at her but didn't take one. She blushed and stumbled off. I rolled my eyes, he continued, softening his voice, "don't you think the _supernatural community_ would have some members in the Congress or the White House itself? Uncle Sam tolerates us so long as we don't stir up trouble. Massacring a hospital and making national news is stirring trouble, and right now they are about to come down hard on our quiet little town. And they aren't going to be polite if they suspect you of anything."

"A government hit squad," I deadpanned, remaining apprehensive, despite the flicker of doubt in my mind. "You should write for Hollywood, or wear a tinfoil hat and hook up with those radio conspiracy theory talk shows."

"Sheez, you have one hell of a vivid imagination. A hit squad? Really? Been reading 1984 much?"

"Then what would you call it if not a freaking hit squad?"

"A police tactical unit trained to deal with the supernatural?"

"You make it sound like they are going to torture me if I don't cooperate."

"Enhanced interrogation methods for compelled and hexed individuals really."

"Do I even want to know how you seem familiar with their methods?"

"Had a run in with them in Texas in the nineties," he smiled, surprisingly jovial despite the subject at hand. "Friendly, charming bunch really. Still, not the type I would invite over for a drink."

I pinched my nose. Of course, yet again something had gone terribly wrong and now canon just took a kick to the balls. Federal involvement. What's next? The supernatural tattooed vampire hunters showing up early? Marcel teaming up with Mikaelson? White Walkers from Game of Thrones showing up to invade Earth?

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be telling Stefan? Or Elena?"

Damon almost looked miffed from my continuous line of questioning. "Because given that you were literally at the centerpoint of the chaos at the hospital, you have been noted as a key witness to the case, and thus likely one of the first people they will approach. And unfortunately for me, I can't take the easy way out and get rid of you, I just thought I'll give you some forewarning instead."

I grit my teeth, trying not to smash the tip of my cane into his eye. I needed a holiday. Hawaii. Coconut shells with alcohol and the little umbrellas. Nice beaches. Rest in a hammock. Get a tan- or that weird shade of burn reserved for pale people.

For a moment, I considered leaving Mystic Falls. The plan fell on it's arse before it could manifest. I didn't know anyone outside of the town. I had no money for my own house, I wouldn't last a few days let alone the rest of my miserable life. Not to mention the supernatural also existed in this realm, if the jarring threat of house bills, the need to ward off my daily hunger, muggers, rapists and murderers didn't get me, then vampires, witches, werewolves or worse would finish me off. If none of them, then the expensive medical bills would come back to bite me.

"And…" I tried to keep my temperament under control. "What exactly is stopping me from spilling the beans to them and just getting rid of you?"

"Mutually assured destruction," he said simply. "I have my own precautions already in place should you decide to try it. I'll love to tell you what I have in place, but I'll hate to ruin the surprise."

And there it is. I fucking knew it. The knife in the fucking back. That goddamned motherfucking son of a bitch.

I wasn't surprised, just peeved. He had over one hundred years of manipulative experience on me after all. He could probably read us humans like a damned book.

"Do try and keep me apprised of the situation," he smirked, reaching out and tucking my hair behind my ear in an almost mocking fashion. "Enjoy the party, Miss Howlett."

Damon leered over me and closely leaned to the point his cold fingers wrapped my wrist. It didn't hurt, the grip was just tight and uncomfortable- but the threat was there.

He whispered, breath brushing along the shell of my ear. "Hate for something terrible to happen to Karen, she does seem like a lovely woman."

Without waiting for a reply, he walked away, whistling and feet lightly tapping against the floor as he walked off to join the sheriff by one of the tables.

No one saw me leave the party early that night, body trembling with rage, cheeks stained with tears. I barely felt the pain in my mouth, only realising I bit my lips too hard when I tasted the blood in my mouth.

 _Fucking vampires._


	17. Chapter 17

Day 38

* * *

Karen does seem like a lovely woman…

His words rang in my skull and I suppressed the heavy sigh.

Karen. My mysterious adoptive mother. She took me in when I had no idea what to do or what was going on. Though to be fair, she had known me as her daughter. It still felt like I had some sort of obligation toward her to keep her alive and not just abandon her, but I wanted to stay alive. Karen was a liability as much as she was a necessity. She was a loving and doting lifeline, the woman paid for my food, held a roof over my head. Realistically, as much as I didn't want to admit it, I needed her in my life. I didn't exactly... love the woman but if Damon pranced into our house and tore his hand into her ribcage….

It seemed cold but looking at it from a logical point, Karen abruptly dying would also put me in an orphanage system. I'm not classed as old enough to live on my own as a responsible adult unless I appeal for an emancipation and that wasn't possible without a stable source of income (which would be a major issue due to being unfit for work).

Something whacked me on the back of my head and I jumped, snapping around to glare at the boy behind me. Sid sternly inclined his head and I followed his gaze.

"Thank you Sid. Miss Howlett, you still with us?"

Multiple eyes were locked onto my stiff form. I ducked my gaze and quietly nodded, shrinking back into my seat.

"Good, in that case I don't suppose you could name me the driving cause behind the Iroquois Wars in the mid seventeenth century?"

My face flamed. I tucked my hair behind my ear as I become more self aware from the scrutinising gazes all on me. "Um. Nope. Sorry."

"Pay attention, you'll be tested on this next week. Now I'm going to repeat myself just for the benefit of Sofia, the Iroquois Wars, or better known as the Beaver Wars," he ignored the chuckles that went around the classroom, "first began when…"

"Hey," I turned around at the voice and to my surprise, Bonnie's face greeted me. "Are you okay? You were kinda spaced out in there."

"Uh, yeah." Just being haunted by Damon- which you'll relate to in future. "I'm fine."

Her head tilted slightly and a light crease formed from her brows. "Your hair's messy, you've got bag under your eyes, you tried to open someone else's locker instead of yours this morning and you've been spacing out since the first class. Something's clearly bothering you." I scratched my arm sheepishly. "So, what's seems to be on your mind?"

Nothing. Everything. Damon being his season one asshole self, the overbearing foreknowledge of all sorts of hell that's going to happen and… I swallowed, unable to meet her eyes. … and being alone.

It's oddly lonely, I realised. Sure, there's Sid, Ben, Karen and a few other people whom I've met so far, but I couldn't exactly relate to them in a close, personal way thus far. I'm an outsider, a girl from another world, a stranger stuck in familiar lands yet, not at the same time. I look at them and inevitably I ended up thinking of the people and the life I left behind. I missed mum. I missed Morgan. Leo, Hannah, Brandon. I really missed Adam. I missed walking around the crappy streets of London. I missed the strange mix of cannabis, sewage, smoke and booze in my neighbourhood.

Mystic Falls… the people here? It'll never be like home. The streets were different, the accents, the different side of the road people drive on, getting used to the imperial rather than the metric system of measurements. The supernatural nonsense, having to worry about being accosted by vampires, being fucking blackmailed by a vampire of all things, nearly losing my life because of vampires.

I missed my brother, I…

My hands balled up into fists, though thankfully under the table so Bonnie didn't see anything, nails digging painfully into my palm as I tried to get my breathing back under control without giving away anything. Weeks of pent up emotions threatened to pop the lid where I bottled up all my repressed feelings about my situation, pretending like nothing's wrong, acting like everything's normal, only for everything to come crashing down through the combination of being afflicted with an extreme case of bad luck and Damon's meddling.

If I managed to get my hands on whoever dragged me here, magical being or no, I would much enjoy shoving my foot up their rear end. Or force feed Damon with a concentrated concoction of vervain. Preferably both.

Judging by the look of concern on Bonnie's face I failed terribly.

"Hey," she put a hand on my shoulder, throwing a quick glance at Mr Saltzman, who was in the midst of describing the deteriorating relations between the French colonials and the Iroquois in the lead up to the Beaver Wars. "Do you need to be excused from class?"

"It's..." I mumbled, averting my gaze. "It's fine. It's just…" I sharply inhaled. "Hard."

And stressful. Still needed to find a way to deal with Damon and his shit. And the federal authorities, what to say to them if they come knocking. Maybe I could just stay silent. I had that right, no?

"Want to talk about it? Might help a little you know, or maybe not."

"It's okay." I felt uncomfortable talking about my feelings. I was never one to do that at slumber parties. Besides, it wasn't as though I could just straight up tell her what was bothering me. No really, I know everything that is going to happen in the immediate future. Did you know that you are destined to die not once, not twice but thrice over the course of the next four years? Yeah, like that'll end well. "I'd prefer to just… y'know."

"Fair enough," she said, eyes looking a little vacant momentarily. Oh right, she was harboring a whole bunch of secrets too at this point, what with the whole being new to being a witch and all that. And losing her gran. "I get what you mean. Just… let me know if you change your mind, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," I smiled faintly, though it didn't last long, quickly fading just as quick as it had arrived. "Sorry, it's just…" I held my tongue, picking my words carefully and ever cautious not to accidentally say something I'm not supposed to. I sighed. "There's just so much going on these days, and I'm getting sick and tired of trying to keep my head in the game with what's happening."

There was a long lull in which nothing except for Alaric's voice could be heard, interrupted by a student who stopped him to ask about the monopoly of the fur trade that dominated that time period. Distantly, I heard the siren of a deputy's car going off somewhere. Council business somewhere perhaps? Or just a simple 911 call?

"Yeah," Bonnie finally said, her voice a soft whisper. "I get what you mean."

Feeling that the conversation had come to a close, a sighed and took up my pen, writing down what little I could catch what Alaric was trying to teach. Another thing I had to get used to about this new world I'm in. Learning American history.

 _Huzzah, long live the Queen._

My chest tightened. "Tell you what, why don't we have a distraction?" I suggested. "Wanna see a movie later?"

"Bad romantic comedies?" She suggested with a semi-light tone, mouth softly twitching upwards at the corners.

"Matched with a bunch of junk food? Girl after my own heart." I agreed.

Ten minutes went by and the school bell echoed through corridors. Before Alaric could dismiss them students were already rustling to get out of the room. Shoes squeaked along the floor, chairs groaned and chatter rose into the air. I lifted my bag over my shoulder, tucking my seat under the desk. Bonnie slowed before the door and patiently waited for me but a voice halted me in my steps.

"Sofia?" Alaric's expression was unreadable. "Can you stay back for a few minutes please?"

There was a pang in my gut but I swallowed, eyes flickering over to Bonnie's concerned gaze. I nodded to her and she inclined her head to the door and mouthed 'I'll wait' before vanishing out the frame. I turned, slowly approaching his desk. What now?

"Yes, Mr. Saltzman?" It's either vampire related or school related. Either way, it wasn't going to be great.

His mouth thinned for a moment. He placed his hip alongside his desk, staring down at me. "Sofia, is everything okay?"

Potentially both then.

I shifted on my feet at the question. Was I really that easy to read after all? "Yeah, why?"

He gave me a solid look and I almost shrunk into my shoes. "Your head isn't in class and lately you're…" he shortly gestured with his hand next to his head, "distracted." Alaric tilted his head slightly, crossing his arms. His voice softened into a gentle tone and his brows folded, "is this… supernatural related? Because if it is-"

"It's not." I cut him off, a bit too quickly. If I was going by the look on his face, he didn't believe me. Although to say that the thought of manipulating him into a position where he could stake Damon right in the heart had never crossed my mind would be a lie. "Mr. Saltzman, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention. I'm just…" I have way too much on my plate to deal with grades.

"Dealing with 'things'?" He questioned, his tone dubious. "Every student tells me the exact same thing and they end up becoming overwhelmed with whatever it is that's bothering them. Really, what's wrong?"

"I'm… tired." I wasn't lying. Mentally, I was exhausted.

Perhaps it was the light, but I could have sworn something in his face twitched. "Tired? What kind of tired?"

"Just…" Can't deal with this world. "Just tired."

His eyes met mine and he sounded so understanding it squeezed my heart. "Do you want to have some time off school?"

The idea sounded amazing, but at the same time if I fell behind even more, if I was stuck in this universe, all I had were my grades to put me on my feet. To get myself a job and build a career. But if I couldn't even decide what I wanted to be in the previous world, how would I decide here? What kind of future was there?

What I wanted, was to go home.

But that didn't seem plausible.

"Your mental health is just as important as your physical." He told me sternly. "If you had a broken bone in your leg, would you keep walking on it?"

The simple answer was no. I wouldn't. But things here weren't that simple. "I'll be okay, Mr. Saltzman."

"I can't help you if you don't want help." Alaric pointed out. "If you're falling behind I can give you some extra credit and maybe some quiet tutoring sessions after school, would you like that?"

"I…" I released a sigh and raked a hand through my hair. If I focused on school, then maybe I wouldn't have to stress myself so much with the Mystic falls drama. "I guess? … yeah, sure. I'll give it a shot."

He nodded, satisfied. Alaric opened a draw, dotting down something on a postit note. "I'll talk to the principal for you and get you a schedule. You'll need to talk to a parent or guardian about the arrangements for their permission as well, call this number if you ever need anything." Alaric folded the piece of paper and held it out toward me with two fingers. "Okay?"

I bobbed my head and shoved the note into my jean pocket. Alaric seemed pleased with the result and bid me farewell before I hobbled out of the classroom. Bonnie was leaning against the wall outside, waiting for me. I smiled at her and she perked up at my presence.

"What was that about?" She asked, eyes curious.

"Extra credit stuff," I tried to shrug it off.

"Trouble with grades?"

"Something like that," I nodded down the hall, which was bustling with a crowd of students. "Shall we?"

"My room is a bit messy, I didn't plan for company," I sheepishly told her, "But make yourself at home, anyway." I chucked my bag onto the floor and she folded her coat. She seemed uncertain where to put it and I swatted my hand. "Eh, just… chuck that anywhere really."

The dark haired girl put it over the back of my swivel chair, which was tucked underneath the desk, before turning her curious attention to the numerous hangings on my wall. I watched her whilst I sat on the edge of my bed.

"You paint?" Her fingertips brushed along the bronze frame of one piece I did the other day. It was a girl balancing on the edge of a fence, her arms outstretched. Her bleeding heart in one hand and brain in the other. Hm, obvious much Sofia?

"For-" I remembered this Sofia didn't paint for years, unlike me. "A while, yeah. Art is my passion, other than video games, y'know."

She moved on.

"Wow, this is beautiful." She stood in front of a raven. My experiment with oil paint, such a messy material. It took a while to wash it all from my hands and arms when I accidentally smudged some on me. Numerous shades of purple and blue and dark green used in a blur. The reflection in the eye revealed someone looking through a window. It was one of my favorites.

"Thanks," I felt a little embarrassed the more her eyes scanned my work, but eventually grew used to it and started to look for my remote to the T.V on the wall. Where is that damn thing?

"Sofia?"

"Yeah?" I turned my neck slightly, seeing her holding a familiar strange black tome in her hands. I straightened. Oh. I forgot about that.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, flipping it open.

"Oh, that?" I cleared my throat awkwardly. Oh I was researching dimensional time travel, y'know, so I went to a witch store. Yeah, sounds sane. "Just a… random store." I haven't even read it yet, I've been so distracted. "Why?"

"Didn't know you had an interest in the occult."

You have no idea.

"It's pretty cool, to be honest." I chuckled, albeit nervously. I dug through my clothes in the set of draws. At this point, it wouldn't be too insane to say I believed in magic, considering where I am and- well, the fact I've seen supernatural shit.

"Huh," she looked up from it, meeting my eyes. A strange glint was in her eyes. "Don't tell me you actually believe in this kind of stuff."

Don't play coy with me Bon-Bon, I know exactly what you are.

"Yep." I popped the 'p' casually, it wasn't so crazy, there was people over the world who were spiritual and practising wiccans. I swear to God if Wiccans are the reason I'm here... "Well, I mean I guess? You're not gonna judge right? Do you believe in it?"

"Me? No," For a split second, I couldn't tell if it was the lighting or if a small smile played on her lips. "Do you… practise it?"

"Me? No, I'm not a witch," I admitted. _But you are_. "I haven't had a chance to read it yet."

Bonnie turned a page to scan through it with seemingly apathetic eyes, even though I knew she was interested. A light bulb clicked on in my brain.

"You wanna do a spell?" Her head shot up. "I mean, if you don't believe in this stuff, it won't work, right?" I grinned wickedly. Come on little witch. You know you want to. "No seances though, I'm not messing with the dead."

"How about we watch a dvd instead?" She suggested, avoiding the subject. I groused but relented. Then again, a little too straightforward I supposed. Oops.

Oh well, can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, as the saying went.

"Fine, but I get to pick the film."

"You're not gonna pick Harry Potter are you?" She had a teasing smile.

"How did you know?" I mock gasped, but she giggled and I selected something completely different.

Bonnie leaned forward to look at what I was setting up, her arm brushed mine. "Lock stock and two smoking barrels?"

"A classic." I put on a bad French accent in a poor attempt to make it fancy. "Or Kill Bill, which one?"

Her gaze flickered between the two. "Flip a coin?"

I rolled my eyes but agreed.

* * *

I sniffled.

Eeeeee.

My finger tapped along my knee. A soft pitter patter of droplets pelted against the car, condensation fogging up my view. The windscreen wiper shrieked, smearing the rain along the glass to clean the pane. Crappy rap music emitted from the radio, and I swiftly turned the channel to something else. Anything else. I settled on something that resembled jazz. The song was mainly instrumentals with no lyrics, with the saxophone as the star.

My nose had that familiar burn, nostrils twitching. I brought up my tissue.

Eeeeee.

"There we go," mum switched on the heating, her warm features lighting up with her smile. "It won't take long to get there."

"Simeon here we come," I grinned, then paused as the burn returned. I sneezed and my mum passed me the tissue box. "Best-" it was difficult to talk with a blocked nose. "-hot chocolate in town."

"Can I have the small marshmallows?" Hannah asked eagerly, poking her head up from the back. Mum gave her a stern look and the young blonde sat down with a pout.

"Seat belt." The older woman reminded my little sister, who fumbled. Brandon snatched it off her and clicked it in.

"Can we go now?" He demanded, too impatient. Mum grinned and pulled out the car. "Finally."

"Someone's turning into a teenager." I sung and mum chuckled whilst Brandon groused. His voice broke the other day, meaning he was teased relentlessly by all the girls in the house. Poor thing always wanted a brother, he got unlucky.

"Don't tease your brother," mum sternly told me, but had the mischievous twinkle in her own eye.

"Okay fine," I twisted in my seat, resting my chin on the back of my chair. He poked his tongue out at me and I giggled. "Alright bro, here's the deal. When we get home we'll play 1v1 Overwatch. Whoever wins gets the secret cake I have stashed all to themselves."

He wickedly grinned. "Deal."

Hannah gasped, eyes wide. "Why don't I get cake?!"

"Kids," our mother warned.

"Because you don't play games," Brandon scoffed, I rolled my eyes. Oops. Here we go.

"That's no fair!" Hannah whined. Mum sent me a pointed glance and I rolled my eyes.

"Guys, guys," I stopped them. "We can solve this, don't worry. Maybe everyone can have cake."

"That's not how a competition works." Brandon whinged, and I leaned forward, pressing my hand on his mouth. He licked my palm and I wiped it over his face. A disgusted noise squeezed out of him. "Ew! Gross! Why did you-"

"Can't take what you dish out, little brother." I winked. "So what do you say, Overwatch when we all get back? I'll even let you on my high end pc."

His expression changed, brown eyes suddenly becoming watery. I panicked and was about to ask him what was wrong but he spoke before I could, merging with Hannah and mum's voice.

" _But we're gone_."

I sat up and peered at the bright screen of my phone.

 ** _3:47AM_**. The bold figures stung my groggy eyes. My gaze switched to the date on my calendar, which hung on the wall: _2009._

The phone clenched in my hand. My knuckles paled.

My vision was impaired by the blur of tears rolling down my cheeks. My soft sob echoed, then a quake through my body. Lowering my head in my grief as I whimpered. I couldn't ignore the sharp pain burning in my hip.

My life was gone.

I silently cried myself to sleep, making sure Bonnie couldn't hear me.

* * *

Day 39

* * *

When I woke up the next day I heard something odd.

It sounded like… scratching.

Narrowing my eyes, I limped down the stairs, clumsily fumbling with the railing. Eventually I touched the last step and walked through to the living room. My cane tapping along the wooden floorboard.

I found a box on the living room floor and my eyes flickered around in confusion. This wasn't here before? Is this Karen's?

I approached it, head cocked to the side as the scratching continued.

Kneeling down, with a slight grimace at the pressure applied to my injuries, I warily took off the lid-

Only to be knocked back. Something lunged at me, attacking my face.

 _What the fuck-!?_

My terror was immediately replaced with shock, slowly followed by a suffocating happiness at the sight of the dalmatian puppy furiously attempting to lick my face. I threw caution to the wind and cooed the dog, hugging and petting the odd thing. He barked, continuously kissing my cheeks as I squealed in pure joy.

"After all you've been through," a familiar voice piped up. I glanced over at the door, to see Karen standing there with a gentle smile at the sight of me playing with the adorable puppy. "I thought that you could do with some good news."

"A puppy?" Dogs were my weakness. I had never had a dog before, because my other mother was allergic, or the situation was just never right. "You got me a... puppy?" my voice broke.

"He's yours." She chuckled, I beamed. The buoyant feeling bubbled in my chest and I wrapped my arms around the soft pup. "What are you gonna name him?" So many choices. I was overwhelmed with choices. She could see the conflict running over my slightly baffled face and held up a hand. "You don't have to decide right this second, but think about it."

"Karen, I…"

My eyes stung as my voice broke and a lump formed in my throat. I was so touched she did this for me, especially after how much trouble I had caused her. No one had ever done something so… nice.

"No tears, now," she seemed to be getting a little emotional herself, eyes watering. She smiled through her own crying, obviously pleased that she provoked such a response. "I got him to make you happy, not to make you cry."

"Thank you." I softly spoke, words of gratitude cracking slightly. The puppy kicked up a fuss when I wasn't paying attention to him and I choked on a happy sob.

A puppy.

She bought me a damn puppy.

 ** _His paws. Are. So. Soft._**

" _Awwwwww_ ," I cooed, playing with his adorably floppy ears. "So _cuteee_ , yes you are, yes you aree."

"I'll leave you to it, I gotta go food shopping," Karen announced, already in the hall. I heard keys jingling. "You want anything?"

"Chocolate!" I squealed, still in awe by the puppy face. He jumped off my lap and rolled onto his belly. His pink belly. "Karen! Karen look at this!"

"What's he doing?" The older woman walked in while wrapping her blue knit scarf around her neck. "Aww." She cooed when she saw him on his back.

"How much did he cost?" The thought just occured to me. How much money did she spend on me?

"It doesn't matter," she bared her pearly whites, swatting her hand. Karen dipped into her pocket and took out her keys. "Now, don't answer the door to strangers, don't answer the phone-"

"I'll be fine," I meant it this time. "Besides, I have this monstrous, fierce little guard dog." I rubbed his stomach and his tail wagged rapidly in response. Already I could see a characteristic. He was hyper, and so far he never sat still. Maybe Fidget is a good name, hm, something to think on.

I wrapped my hands around his stomach, practically cradling him in my arms as I brought him upstairs. I slammed the door open, forgetting that the said girl I was showing him to was asleep but it didn't seem important.

"Bonnie!" I cried, jolting the girl awake. She sat up in a rush, dark hair a tousled mess around her head. She squinted through one eye, opening her mouth before she did a double take and stared at the dog.

"You have a dog?" She gawked.

"Since-" I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Ten minutes ago." He was struggling in my arms, trying to get free, I put him on the floor and he took off like a lightning bolt.

"Oh my god," she laughed with delight when the puppy climbed onto her, instantly attacking her with licks on her face. "Ah!"

 _It's been a good sleep over._


	18. Chapter 18

_**I'm so sorry**_.

Maybe I'll continue this story one day. Separately. But I'm focusing on _**Mystic Transition**_. I promise you it'll be better. I much prefer that story over this one. I'm sorry for those I disappointed, and for those expecting more.

This story just lost motivation because I re-read it and cringed a bit.

I hope you guys will move _**MT**_ and give it a chance. It's basically New Life, but I'm writing it in a bit of a different path, maybe some things from New Life will stay. But for now. This series is cancelled.

Hope you have a grand day.

P.S: I'm sorry, again.


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